Adjectives of Motion · Adjectives: Attributes Things

unstable and likely to shake or rock from side to side

"The table is wobbly."

"The wobbly table caused the drinks to spill so the waiter put a folded napkin under one leg to steady it."

tending to move outward from a central point

"The force is centrifugal."

"The centrifugal force pushed the water to the sides of the spinning bucket without spilling a drop."

having a chaotic or unstable quality, often marked by disorder or conflict

"The water is turbulent."

"The turbulent flight made many passengers feel sick because the plane shook violently for nearly an hour."

easily carried or moved from one place to another

"My computer is portable."

"The portable speaker fits in your backpack and the battery lasts for twelve hours of continuous music playback."

not moving or changing position

"The bike is stationary."

"The stationary car sat in the driveway for weeks because the owner could not afford to repair the broken engine."

not moving or active

"The gas is inert."

"The inert gas does not react with other chemicals and it is used to create a safe atmosphere for welding."

having the ability to be easily moved or shifted from one place to another

"The wall is movable."

"The movable walls allow us to change the size of the conference room depending on how many people attend."

having the ability to be moved from one place to another

"The device is transportable."

"The transportable medical clinic can be set up in any disaster zone within twenty four hours of arrival."

not having any movement

"The dog stood motionless."

"The cat remained motionless for several minutes as it watched a mouse emerge from a hole in the wall."

unable to move

"The patient is immobile."

"The patient was immobile after the accident and she needed help to get in and out of bed."

not fixed and able to move or be moved easily or quickly

"The library is mobile."

"The mobile library travels to remote villages every week and residents can borrow books without having to drive to the city."

involving or relating to the action of turning around a central point

"The motion is rotational."

"The rotational motion of the earth causes day and night to occur every twenty four hours."

lacking movement or circulation

"The stagnant air felt heavy."

"The stagnant water in the pond smelled bad and was full of mosquitoes and algae."

involving motion or movement

"The moving car is fast."

"The moving walkway significantly reduced the time it took to reach the departure gate."

referring to something that revolves around an axis or a central point, such as a wheel

"The engine is rotary."

"The rotary engine is smaller and lighter than traditional piston engines used in most cars today."

stumbling and not steady in movement

"The shaky table will fall."

"He gave a shaky presentation, clearly nervous about addressing the large audience."

remaining still, with no change in position

"The image is static."

"The static display of the ancient artifacts allowed visitors to examine them closely without any movement."

(of liquids) moving in a continuous stream or current

"The water is running."

"The running water from the faucet was cold and refreshing after she had worked in the garden all morning."

moving rapidly or swiftly through the air

"The flying bird is free."

"The flying formation of geese migrated south for the winter season."

having the ability to quickly spring back or rebound when pressed down or impacted

"The bouncy ball is fun."

"The trampoline provided hours of fun with its delightfully bouncy surface."

lacking motion

"The cat is still."

"The statue remained perfectly still, its intricate details untouched by the passing of time."

moving smoothly or continuously along a surface, often in a circular motion

"The ball is rolling."

"The gentle, rolling waves of the ocean created a soothing rhythm as they met the shore."