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How to Describe a Person’s Appearance in English

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To describe a person’s appearance in English, you can use adjectives to describe their physical characteristics such as their height, weight, hair color, and facial features. It is important to be respectful and not to use language that could be considered offensive when describing a person’s appearance.

Describing a Person’s Appearance in English

List of Adjectives for Describing a Person’s Appearance

Here is a list of adjectives that can be used to describe a person’s appearance in English:

Physical Characteristics

  • Tall
  • Short
  • Thin
  • Fat
  • Slender
  • Plump
  • Skinny
  • Chubby
  • Lean
  • Sturdy
  • Petite
  • Lanky
  • Brawny
  • Buff
  • Ripped
  • Athletic
  • Stocky
  • Muscular
  • Scrawny
  • Wiry

Facial Features

  • Beautiful
  • Ugly
  • Handsome
  • Pretty
  • Cute
  • Glamorous
  • Attractive
  • Unattractive
  • Symmetrical
  • Asymmetrical
  • Delicate
  • Angular
  • Round
  • Square
  • Heart-shaped
  • Narrow
  • Wide
  • Chiseled
  • Smooth
  • Rugged

Adjectives for Describing People | Image

Words for Describing a Person's Appearance

Hair

  • Blonde
  • Brunette
  • Redhead
  • Bald
  • Long
  • Short
  • Thick
  • Thin
  • Wavy
  • Straight
  • Curly
  • Coarse
  • Fine
  • Silky
  • Shiny
  • Dull
  • Frizzy
  • Flyaway
  • Smooth
  • Messy
  • Tangled
  • Knotty
  • Soft
  • Rough

Eyes

  • Blue
  • Brown
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Black
  • Small
  • Round
  • Almond-shaped
  • Hazel
  • Bright
  • Dull
  • Sparkling
  • Twinkling
  • Glowing
  • Clear
  • Cloudy
  • Deep-set
  • Wide-set

Skin

  • Fair
  • Tanned
  • Freckled
  • Smooth
  • Rough
  • Soft
  • Silky
  • Supple
  • Taut
  • Flawless
  • Spotty
  • Clear
  • Radiant
  • Dull
  • Matte
  • Glowing
  • Oily
  • Dry
  • Hydrated
  • Dehydrated
  • Tanned
  • Pale
  • Dark

Overall Appearance

  • Well-dressed
  • Well-groomed
  • Polished
  • Neat
  • Clean
  • Disheveled
  • Attractive
  • Unattractive
  • Beautiful
  • Ugly
  • Handsome
  • Pretty
  • Elegant
  • Graceful
  • Confident
  • Shy
  • Neat
  • Tidy
  • Casual
  • Formal
  • Stylish
  • Trendy
  • Modern
  • Timeless
  • Chic
  • Classy

Age

  • Young
  • Old
  • Teenage
  • Middle-aged
  • Senior
  • Juvenile
  • Mature
  • Elderly
  • Aging
  • Youthful
  • Ancient
  • Newborn
  • Adolescent
  • Geriatric
  • Early
  • Late
  • Prime
  • Over-the-hill
  • Ageless
  • Timeless

It is important to note that, some of these adjectives may be considered offensive or insensitive, it is always better to use words that are respectful and considerate.

Adjectives for Describing a Person’s Appearance with Examples

Words for Describing a Person's Appearance

You probably learned the basic adjectives when you were studying English in school.

But perhaps you want to learn a few more sophisticated and conversational ways to talk about the way that people look.

The following list contains common adjectives that are often used to describe the appearance of a person with example sentences

  • Heavy

My brother is much heavier than me.

  • Thin

He was tall and thin, with short brown hair.

  • Glamorous

On television, she looks so glamorous.

  • Lovely

She had a lovely face.

  • Overweight

Sally was 50 pounds overweight.

  • Old

He is an old man.

  • Pretty

Maria looks much prettier with her hair cut short.

  • Muscular

She was fast and strong, with a slender, muscular body.

  • Elegant

An elegant young woman sat at the next table, sipping a cocktail.

  • Chubby

The baby was pink and chubby.

  • Skinny

Some supermodels are far too skinny.

  • Beautiful

Patricia looked beautiful and elegant as always.

  • Asymmetrical

It shows her in an asymmetrical leotard and high-heels(Sentencedict.com), with two other female dancers.

  • Athletic

He wanted his sons to become strong, virile, and athletic like himself.

  • Stocky

The missing man is about 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 170 pounds with a stocky build.

  • Muscular

Signor fragolli was a large man with a deeply lined muscular face and a large hooked nose like a Roman Emperor.

  • Scrawny

He also said Hannah who was born 8 weeks early was an extremely small, scrawny baby.

  • Wiry

Father Vic was a wiry man in his late forties with a sharp nose and deep-set eyes.

  • Cute

Do you like Jill Anderson? I think she’s cute!

  • Glamorous

On television, she looks so beautiful and glamorous.

  • Attractive

It’s time to celebrate your birthday. Happy birthday to an attractive and intellectual girl.

  • Unattractive

The general was an unattractive man to all but his most ardent admirers.

  • Almond-shaped

Scarlett Johansson and Kate Beckinsale maximize their almond-shaped eyes and oval faces with softly curved arches.

Describing a Person’s Appearance in English | Images

person's appearance in english

Person's Appearance in English

Person's Appearance in English

Hairstyle - person's appearance

 

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