Appearance and Texture: English Vocabulary List

the act or process of compressing or reducing the volume of something, resulting in increased density

"Soil compaction problem."

"Heavy farming machines caused serious soil compaction that reduced crop growth in the field."

a measure of the height, length, or width of an object in a certain direction

"We measured the dimensions of the room."

"The architect carefully considered every dimension of the room before designing the new kitchen layout."

a polished, flat surface on a gemstone or bone, crucial for reflecting light in gems and for articulation in bones

"Diamond has many facets."

"Each carefully cut facet of the diamond reflected light and created beautiful colors."

(of liquids) lacking in clarity for being mixed by other things such as sand or soil

"The water is turbid."

"The turbid water was full of sediment and the fish could not survive in such polluted conditions."

not in any ways straight, with bends, curves, or disorganized angles

"The picture is crooked."

"The crooked picture frame hung on the wall and bothered her every time she walked past it."

exhibiting a shimmering, rainbow-like play of colors, typically due to refraction of light

"The bubbles are iridescent."

"The iridescent bubbles shimmered with rainbow colors as they floated through the air before popping."

containing small holes or gaps, allowing liquid or air to pass through

"The material is porous."

"The porous material allows water to pass through it and it is used in filters to remove impurities."

having an impressive height

"The mountain is towering."

"The towering skyscraper cast a long shadow over the small park where children played every afternoon after school and on weekends."

changed from its original shape or form, often in a way that makes it appear twisted, misshapen, or unclear

"The image is distorted."

"The distorted image in the funhouse mirror made her look tall and thin then short and wide."

not flexible or easily bent

"The material is rigid."

"The rigid plastic chair was uncomfortable to sit on for more than a few minutes because it had no cushioning at all."

having a smooth and shiny texture, typically describing hair, fur, or skin that appears healthy and well-maintained

"Her hair looked sleek."

"The sleek new sports car had a shiny black paint job and aerodynamic curves that made it look incredibly fast and expensive."

having a flexible quality, capable of returning to its original shape after being stretched or compressed

"The band is elastic."

"The waistband of the pants was elastic so they fit comfortably even after a big meal and she did not have to unbutton anything to feel relaxed."

thin, delicate, and feathery in appearance or texture

"Her hair is wispy."

"The wispy clouds looked like thin white feathers against the bright blue sky on that beautiful summer day."

moving or shaped in a smooth, wave-like pattern that rises and falls continuously

"The hills are undulating."

"The undulating hills stretched for miles and the cyclists enjoyed the rolling landscape as they rode through the countryside."

uneven, unkempt, or ragged in appearance

"His beard is scraggly."

"The scraggly beard made him look older than he really was and his friends suggested that he trim it."

(of a fabric or garment) folded or gathered in a series of small, parallel folds

"Her skirt is pleated."

"The pleated skirt had neat folds that gave it a classic look and she wore it to the office every Friday."

complicated or difficult to follow, like a maze

"The plot is labyrinthine."

"The labyrinthine corridors of the old castle made it easy to get lost and the tourists were advised to stay with their guide at all times."

elaborately decorated or adorned with intricate details

"The frame is ornate."

"The ornate mirror had a gold frame with carved flowers and it hung in the hallway of the old mansion."

having the shape or characteristics of a tube

"The structure is tubular."

"The tubular pasta was perfect for holding the creamy sauce and every bite was delicious and satisfying for the hungry diners."

shaped like an egg, with a rounded or elliptical form

"The shape is ovoid."

"The ovoid shape of the egg is easy to recognize and artists often practice drawing it to improve their skills."

capable of being hammered or manipulated into different forms without cracking or breaking

"The metal is malleable."

"The malleable metal could be bent into any shape without breaking because it was heated to a very high temperature first."

unpleasantly damp and sticky, often referring to skin or surfaces that feel cool and moist to the touch

"His hands are clammy."

"His clammy hands left wet marks on the glass and he was nervous about the job interview."

having an empty space within

"The tree is hollow."

"The hollow tree trunk served as a perfect hiding place for the children during their game of hide and seek."

having the appearance or qualities that closely resemble or imitate real life

"The doll is lifelike."

"The lifelike statue of the president looked so real that visitors expected it to start speaking at any moment."

capable of being stretched or drawn out without breaking

"The strength is tensile."

"The tensile strength of the steel cable is very high so it can support heavy loads without breaking or stretching too much."

to stretch something in order to make it longer

"Stretching can elongate your muscles."

"The artist used a special technique to elongate the figures in her paintings making them look tall and elegant."

to damage the appearance of something by causing a flaw or imperfection

"The scar blemishes his face slightly."

"The small scar did not blemish her beauty because she was still very attractive and confident."

to cause a wrinkle or indentation on a surface

"Do not crease your new shirt."

"The new shirt creased easily during travel so he had to iron it before the important meeting."

to make a dirty mark by rubbing or spreading something on a surface

"Don't smudge the ink."

"Be careful not to smudge the wet paint on the wall as you walk past it."

to shape something, emphasizing its natural curves and outlines

"The map contours the mountain terrain."

"The makeup artist used a special brush to contour her cheekbones and make them look more defined."

to cause fibers to become matted and compacted, resembling felt, typically through pressure, moisture, or agitation

"She felted the wool into fabric."

"The artisan used a special technique to felt the wool into a thick durable fabric for making warm winter hats."

to improve the appearance of something by adding things such as decorative pieces, colors, etc. to it

"He embellished the story with details."

"The storyteller tended to embellish the facts to make his adventures sound more exciting than they actually were."

the natural process of becoming smaller, tighter, or more compact

"The contraction felt painful."

"The muscle experienced a painful contraction, requiring immediate rest and gentle stretching to recover."

the state or quality of being curved or bent, describing the shape or contour of an object or surface

"The curvature feels smooth."

"The subtle curvature of the lens is precisely calculated to focus light onto the sensor with remarkable accuracy."

able to increase in size or volume

"The dough is expansive."

"The expansive view from the top of the mountain included three different states and a large sparkling blue lake below."

hard to manage because of awkward form

"The puppy is ungainly."

"The ungainly puppy tripped over his own feet and fell down the stairs but he got up and kept running as if nothing had happened."

having the quality of sticking or bonding objects together

"The tape is adhesive."

"The adhesive tape stuck firmly to the surface and it was difficult to remove without leaving residue."

having a smooth and shiny texture, typically describing hair, fur, or skin that appears healthy and well-maintained

"Her hair is sleek."

"The sleek black cat moved silently through the dark alley and its shiny coat reflected the dim light from the street lamp."

consisting of a hard building material that is made of the mixture of cement, water, sand, and small stones

"The path is concrete."

"The strong, durable concrete foundation was essential for the stability of the entire structure."

covered with small raised areas or irregularities, making it uneven to the touch

"The road is bumpy."

"The off-road vehicle navigated the bumpy terrain with surprising ease, its suspension system absorbing the shocks."

having a short distance from the surface to the bottom

"The water is shallow."

"The shallow end of the pool was only three feet deep so it was safe for young children who were still learning how to swim without floaties."

shaped like a slightly stretched-out circle or oval

"The orbit is elliptical."

"The artist sketched an elliptical shape on the canvas, creating a smooth, oval form that was pleasing to the eye."

(of an appearance) not washed, neat, or cared for

"His hair is unkempt."

"His unkempt hair and wrinkled shirt suggested that he had not slept well and he looked very tired."

stretched firmly without slack

"The rope is taut."

"The taut rope stretched across the river and the climbers used it to pull themselves to the other side."

having small, fine wrinkles or creases on the surface, often producing a texture that is slightly rough or uneven

"The leaves are crinkly."

"The crinkly leaves made a satisfying sound when she stepped on them and she loved walking through the forest in autumn."

to spread out or stretch in various directions

"The company plans to expand."

"The university plans to expand its campus by building two new research facilities and a library."

to reduce the volume or size of something by applying pressure, squeezing, or condensing it

"Compress the file before emailing it."

"The software can compress large video files into much smaller sizes without significantly reducing the quality of the image."

to become colored with a particular hue or tint

"The chemical pigments the fabric blue."

"The artist uses natural materials to pigment her paints and create vibrant unique colors for her paintings."

to spread a substance over a surface in a messy or uneven manner

"She smeared sunscreen on her arms."

"The child accidentally smeared paint on the wall while trying to create a masterpiece for his mother."

to enlarge or lengthen something

"We will extend the deadline."

"The company decided to extend the deadline for project submissions by another two weeks."