Describing Textures: English Vocabulary List

having a texture that is soft and mushy, often referring to food that has been overripe or crushed

"The orange is pulpy."

"The pulpy orange juice still had pieces of fruit floating in it because she had not strained it properly before drinking."

having a soft, flexible, and elastic texture

"The eggs are rubbery."

"The rubbery eggs were overcooked and tough and she could barely chew them without feeling like she was eating a shoe sole."

having small, sticky lumps or irregularities in texture

"The mattress is lumpy."

"The lumpy mashed potatoes had not been mixed well enough and there were hard pieces of raw potato hidden inside the soft ones."

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 luxurious texture

"The fabric is satiny."

"The satiny ribbon felt smooth and luxurious between her fingers as she tied it around the gift box."

having rough, uneven, and sharp points or edges

"The cliff edge jagged."

"The jagged edge of the broken glass cut his finger and he had to get three stitches at the emergency room."

having a texture that feels sharp, spiky, or rough to the touch

"The bush felt prickly."

"The prickly cactus is covered in sharp spines so you should never touch it with your bare hands or fingers."

having a slippery, wet, and often unpleasant texture

"The fish felt slimy."

"The slimy snail left a trail of sticky mucus behind it as it slowly crawled across the wet garden path after the rain."

having a soft and compressible texture

"The toy is squishy."

"The squishy pillow felt soft and comfortable under her head and she fell asleep within minutes after lying down on the bed."

thin and sheer in texture, often describing fabrics or materials that allow some light to pass through

"The fabric is gauzy."

"The gauzy curtains billowed in the gentle breeze and let in soft filtered light that made the room feel warm and peaceful."