Useful Adjectives: English Vocabulary List

(of measurements, information, etc.) free from errors and matching facts

"The information is accurate."

"The accurate weather forecast predicted rain for today and sure enough it started pouring at noon."

existing in reality rather than being theoretical or imaginary

"The actual cost is low."

"The actual cost of the renovation was much higher than the estimate that the contractor had given us."

added or extra to what is already present or available

"We need additional time."

"We need additional time to finish the project because the client added new requirements at the last minute."

suitable or acceptable for a given situation or purpose

"That is not appropriate."

"That is not appropriate behavior for a formal dinner so please apologize to the host immediately."

having the ability or capacity to do something

"She is a capable worker."

"She is a capable manager who can handle any problem that arises in the office without needing help from her boss."

having the highest importance

"This is chief."

"The chief concern of the parents was the safety of their children so they installed security cameras all around their house."

involving many different parts or elements that make something difficult to understand or deal with

"The machine is complicated."

"The instructions for assembling the furniture were so complicated that we had to watch a video tutorial online to understand them."

feeling worried or troubled about a particular situation or issue

"I am concerned about you."

"I am concerned about your health because you have been coughing and losing weight without any explanation."

not clear or easily understood

"The directions are confusing."

"The map was confusing because the streets were not labeled clearly and we got lost several times while driving around the city."

involving a large company

"She works in a corporate office."

"The corporate lawyer works long hours at a large firm and represents big companies in complex legal disputes."

extremely important or essential

"This step is crucial."

"The crucial meeting with the investors will determine whether the startup receives enough funding to continue its operations next year."

including many specific elements or pieces of information

"The report is detailed."

"The detailed architectural plans provided all the necessary specifications for constructing the new skyscraper precisely as designed."

involving or describing the whole of something

"I ate the entire cake."

"She ate the entire pizza by herself because she was starving after skipping breakfast and lunch that day."

remarkable or very unusual, often in a positive way

"She has extraordinary skill."

"The extraordinary courage of the firefighter who ran into the burning building saved the lives of three children who were trapped on the second floor."

capable of adjusting easily to different situations, circumstances, or needs

"My schedule is flexible."

"My work schedule is flexible so I can start early and leave early if I need to."

strange or unexpected in appearance, style, or behavior

"The event was bizarre."

"The bizarre dream that she had about flying over the city on a giant butterfly felt so real that she woke up expecting to see wings."

complete and total, with no imperfections or exceptions

"That is absolute nonsense."

"The absolute certainty of his guilt was established by overwhelming forensic evidence presented during the trial."

done, provided, or arranged before a future event or expected time

"This is an advance copy."

"We received an advance notice about the upcoming changes to the company's policy."

easy to see or notice

"His disappointment was apparent."

"His disappointment was apparent to everyone because he could not hide the sad look on his face."

not able to see

"The blind man walked."

"Despite being blind, she developed an exceptional sense of hearing and memory."

short in duration

"The meeting was brief."

"The brief meeting lasted only ten minutes because everyone already agreed on the main points discussed."

having a large distance between one side and another

"His shoulders are broad."

"He has broad shoulders because he has been swimming competitively for more than ten years now."

serving to identify or distinguish something or someone

"Her laugh is characteristic."

"The characteristic smell of fresh bread filled the kitchen and made everyone hungry for dinner."

having the highest importance

"This is the chief reason."

"The chief concern for the company at this moment is to increase its market share."

aware of and responsive to one's surroundings

"He is conscious of danger."

"She was conscious during the entire surgery and could hear the doctors talking while they worked on her knee."

happening continuously without stopping for a long time

"The noise is constant."

"The constant noise from the construction site made it impossible to concentrate on my work or take a nap."

done on purpose

"His mistake was deliberate."

"His mistake was deliberate because he wanted to get fired so he could collect unemployment benefits."

facing or pointing toward a lower level or position

"The arrow flew downward."

"The downward trend in the stock market has caused widespread economic anxiety among investors."

(of a system or machine) achieving maximum productivity without wasting much time, effort, or money

"This method is efficient."

"The efficient new washing machine uses less water and electricity than the old model which saves money on utility bills."

according to moral duty and obligations

"The decision was ethical."

"The ethical lawyer refused to defend a client who she knew was guilty because she believed that her duty to the truth was more important than money."

uniform in dimensions or quantity

"The line is even."

"This evenly spaced arrangement of the trees creates a pleasing aesthetic for the garden."

using or having the power to decide on important matters, plans, etc. or to implement them

"The executive decision was made."

"The executive suite on the top floor has a private bathroom and a beautiful view of the city skyline."

remarkable or very unusual, often in a positive way

"She has extraordinary talent."

"The extraordinary courage of the firefighters saved many lives and the mayor awarded them medals for their bravery."

capable of bending easily without breaking

"The ruler is flexible."

"A flexible approach to problem-solving is often necessary in dynamic business environments."

designed in a way that can be folded or bent so it takes up less space

"The chair is folding."

"The folding chair is easy to store because it collapses flat and can be stacked with other chairs in the closet."

referring to the first of two things mentioned

"The former is better."

"She preferred the former option because it offered more flexibility and fewer immediate risks."

used to express one's disapproval of a name or term given to someone or something because one believes it is inappropriate

"The so-called expert was wrong."

"The so called expert did not know the answer to any of the basic questions that the audience asked him."

carefully arranged and in order

"Her handwriting is neat."

"Her handwriting is very neat and easy to read because she takes her time and forms each letter carefully."

appearing to have a certain quality, yet lacking it in reality

"Her wound is superficial."

"The superficial wound looked worse than it actually was and the doctor cleaned it and applied a bandage quickly."

hidden or no longer visible to one

"Hide it out of sight."

"He quickly hid the surprise gift out of sight before his wife entered the room."