Negative Adjectives

The adjective that gives a negative connotation to the noun they modify is known as a negative adjective. They might express criticism or pessimism regarding the noun they describe. 

Example
The king was very vulgar in his speeches. 
The narrow-minded team captain only cared about his own reputation. 
She was wearing disgusting clothes. 

In the above examples, the adjectives are setting the mood of pessimism, hate, or disgust towards the noun they are modifying. Negative adjectives are used by writers to set the tone or mood of the story. They are also used by news reporters to describe negative situations and invoke the emotions of people. 

Just like there are thousands of positive adjectives, there are also thousands of negative adjectives. These adjectives are used to describe the negative quality of a person, place, or thing. Negative personality traits are often employed by writers and novelists to describe a negative character in a story.
 

Example
Cruel, Cynical, Hostile, Nasty, Arrogant, etc. 

Negative adjectives are also used for places to set the mood about a particular setting in a story. 

Example
Abandoned, haunted, bloodied, etc. 

Objects can also be described using negative adjectives. It helps set the bad feeling for a particular object. 

Negative Adjective Words

A B C D E F G H I J L M N P Q R S T U V W Z


Negative A Adjectives

  • Abhorrent
  • Abject
  • Abnormal
  • Abrasive
  • Abrupt
  • Absent
  • Absentminded
  • Absurd
  • Abusive
  • Abysmal
  • Accidental
  • Acerbic
  • Aching
  • Acrimonious
  • Adversarial
  • Afraid
  • Aggravating
  • Aggressive
  • Agonizing
  • Aimless
  • Alarming
  • Aloof
  • Anemic
  • Angry
  • Annoying
  • Antagonistic
  • Antiquated
  • Appalling
  • Apprehensive
  • Argumentative
  • Arrogant
  • Artificial
  • Artless
  • Ashamed
  • Astringent
  • Atrocious
  • Awful
  • Awkward

Negative B Adjectives

  • Babbling
  • Backhanded
  • Bacterial
  • Bad
  • Baffled
  • Baffling
  • Barbaric
  • Barbarous
  • Barren
  • Basic
  • Battered
  • Batty
  • Bawling
  • Beady
  • Befuddled
  • Belching
  • Belligerent
  • Berserk
  • Betrayed
  • Bewildered
  • Bewitched
  • Biased
  • Bigoted
  • Biting
  • Bitter
  • Bizarre
  • Blamable
  • Bland
  • Blank
  • Blaring
  • Blasphemous
  • Bleak
  • Bleary
  • Blind
  • Blistering
  • Bloated
  • Bloodied
  • Bloodthirsty
  • Bloody
  • Blue
  • Blundering
  • Blunt
  • Blurred
  • Blurry
  • Boastful
  • Bookish
  • Boorish
  • Bored
  • Boring
  • Bossy
  • Bothered
  • Brainless
  • Brash
  • Brassy
  • Breakable
  • Bribable
  • Brisk
  • Bristly
  • Broken
  • Brooding
  • Bruised
  • Brutal
  • Brutish
  • Bulky
  • Bumpy
  • Bungling
  • Bureaucratic
  • Busiest

Negative C Adjectives

  • Caged
  • Cagey
  • Callous
  • Cancelled
  • Cancerous
  • Cantankerous
  • Capricious
  • Captive
  • Careless
  • Carsick
  • Catastrophic
  • Catatonic
  • Caustic
  • Cavalier
  • Certifiable
  • Challenged
  • Challenging
  • Chauvinistic
  • Cheap
  • Cheerless
  • Chemical
  • Chicken
  • Childish
  • Chilling
  • Chilly
  • Choking
  • Choppy
  • Chubby
  • Chunky
  • Clammy
  • Clamoring
  • Clashing
  • Clingy
  • Clinical
  • Cliquish
  • Clogged
  • Cloistered
  • Clownish
  • Clueless
  • Clumsy
  • Cluttered
  • Coarse
  • Cocky
  • Coercive
  • Cold
  • Coldhearted
  • Colorless
  • Combative
  • Commercial
  • Common
  • Complacent
  • Complaining
  • Complicated
  • Compulsive
  • Compulsory
  • Conceited
  • Concerning
  • Condemned
  • Condescending
  • Conditional
  • Conflicted
  • Conflicting
  • Confounded
  • Confused
  • Confusing
  • Congested
  • Conspicuous
  • Constrictive
  • Contagious
  • Contemptible
  • Contemptuous
  • Contradicting
  • Contradictory
  • Contrarian
  • Contrary
  • Controllable
  • Controlling
  • Controversial
  • Convoluted
  • Cornered
  • Corny
  • Corporate
  • Corrosive
  • Corrupt
  • Corrupting
  • Corruptive
  • Costly
  • Cowardly
  • Cowering
  • Coy
  • Crabby
  • Cracked
  • Crafty
  • Crammed
  • Cramped
  • Cranky
  • Crass
  • Craven
  • Crazy
  • Creaky
  • Creeping
  • Creepy
  • Crestfallen
  • Criminal
  • Crippling
  • Critical
  • Crooked
  • Cross
  • Crotchety
  • Crowded
  • Crude
  • Cruel
  • Crumbling
  • Crumbly
  • Crumply
  • Crushable
  • Crushed
  • Crusty
  • Crying
  • Cryptic
  • Culpable
  • Cumbersome
  • Cursed
  • Curt
  • Cutting
  • Cynical

Negative D Adjectives

  • Daffy
  • Daft
  • Damaged
  • Damaging
  • Damp
  • Dangerous
  • Dark
  • Daunting
  • Dawdling
  • Dazed
  • Deadly
  • Deafening
  • Decayed
  • Decaying
  • Deceitful
  • Deceivable
  • Deceiving
  • Deceptive
  • Decimated
  • Decipherable
  • Declining
  • Decrepit
  • Defeated
  • Defective
  • Defenseless
  • Defensive
  • Defiant
  • Deficient
  • Deformed
  • Degenerative
  • Degraded
  • Dejected
  • Delinquent
  • Delirious
  • Deluded
  • Demanding
  • Demented
  • Demonic
  • Deniable
  • Dense
  • Dependent
  • Deplorable
  • Depraved
  • Depressed
  • Depressing
  • Depressive
  • Deprived
  • Deranged
  • Derivative
  • Derogative
  • Derogatory
  • Deserted
  • Desolate
  • Despairing
  • Desperate
  • Despicable
  • Despised
  • Despondent
  • Destroyed
  • Destructive
  • Detached
  • Detestable
  • Detrimental
  • Devastated
  • Devastating
  • Devious
  • Diabolical
  • Difficult
  • Digressive
  • Dilapidated
  • Dim
  • Diminishing
  • Diminutive
  • Dingy
  • Dire
  • Dirty
  • Disadvantaged
  • Disadvantageous
  • Disaffected
  • Disagreeable
  • Disappearing
  • Disappointed
  • Disappointing
  • Disapproving
  • Disastrous
  • Discarded
  • Disconnected
  • Discontented
  • Discordant
  • Discouraged
  • Discouraging
  • Discourteous
  • Discredited
  • Discreet
  • Discriminatory
  • Disdainful
  • Diseased
  • Disenchanted
  • Disgraceful
  • Disgruntled
  • Disgusted
  • Disgusting
  • Disheartened
  • Disheartening
  • Dishonest
  • Dishonorable
  • Disillusioned
  • Disinclined
  • Disingenuous
  • Disinterested
  • Disjointed
  • Dislikeable
  • Disliked
  • Disloyal
  • Dismal
  • Dismissive
  • Disobedient
  • Disorderly
  • Disorganized
  • Disparaging
  • Dispassionate
  • Dispensable
  • Displeased
  • Displeasing
  • Disposable
  • Disproportionate
  • Disproved
  • Disputed
  • Disreputable
  • Disrespectful
  • Disruptive
  • Dissatisfied
  • Dissimilar
  • Distant
  • Distasteful
  • Distracted
  • Distraught
  • Distressed
  • Distressing
  • Distrustful
  • Disturbed
  • Disturbing
  • Divided
  • Divisive
  • Dizzy
  • Domineering
  • Doubtful
  • Doubting
  • Dowdy
  • Down
  • Drab
  • Drained
  • Dramatic
  • Drastic
  • Dreaded
  • Dreadful
  • Dreary
  • Dripping
  • Droll
  • Drooping
  • Droopy
  • Drowsy
  • Drunk
  • Dry

Negative E Adjectives

  • Eerie
  • Egocentric
  • Egomaniacal
  • Egotistical
  • Emaciated
  • Embarrassed
  • Embarrassing
  • Embittered
  • Embroiled
  • Emotional
  • Emotionless
  • Empty
  • Encrusted
  • Endangered
  • Enraged
  • Envious
  • Erasable
  • Eroding
  • Errant
  • Erratic
  • Erroneous
  • Estranged
  • Evasive
  • Evil
  • Exacerbating
  • Exasperated
  • Exasperating
  • Excessive
  • Excruciating
  • Exhausting
  • Expendable
  • Expired
  • Exploitative
  • Exploited
  • Explosive
  • Exposed
  • Expressionless
  • Extraneous
  • Extreme

Negative F Adjectives

  • Facetious
  • Faded
  • Failed
  • Faint
  • Faithless
  • Fallacious
  • Falsified
  • Faltering
  • Famished
  • Fanatical
  • Fatal
  • Fatigued
  • Faulty
  • Fawning
  • Feared
  • Fearful
  • Fearsome
  • Feckless
  • Feeble
  • Feeble-minded
  • Feigned
  • Felonious
  • Fetid
  • Feverish
  • Fidgeting
  • Fidgety
  • Fiendish
  • Filmy
  • Filtered
  • Filthy
  • Finicky
  • Fishy
  • Flaky
  • Flat
  • Flavorless
  • Flawed
  • Fleeting
  • Flimsy
  • Flippant
  • Floppy
  • Foggy
  • Foolhardy
  • Foolish
  • Forbidding
  • Forceful
  • Foreboding
  • Forgetful
  • Forgettable
  • Forgotten
  • Formulaic
  • Foul
  • Fractious
  • Fragile
  • Fragmented
  • Frail
  • Frantic
  • Fraudulent
  • Frayed
  • Freakish
  • Freaky
  • Freezing
  • Fretful
  • Fried
  • Frightened
  • Frightening
  • Frightful
  • Frigid
  • Frilly
  • Frivolous
  • Frosty
  • Frowning
  • Frozen
  • Frugal
  • Fruitless
  • Frumpy
  • Frustrated
  • Frustrating
  • Fumbling
  • Fuming
  • Furious
  • Furtive
  • Fussy
  • Futile
  • Fuzzy

Negative G Adjectives

  • Gabby
  • Galling
  • Gangly
  • Gaping
  • Garbled
  • Garish
  • Garrulous
  • Gasping
  • Gaudy
  • Gaunt
  • Gawky
  • Generic
  • Ghastly
  • Ghoulish
  • Glassy
  • Glib
  • Gloomy
  • Glum
  • Gluttonous
  • Gnarly
  • Goofy
  • Grainy
  • Grating
  • Grave
  • Greasy
  • Greedy
  • Green
  • Grim
  • Grimacing
  • Grimy
  • Gritty
  • Groaning
  • Groggy
  • Gross
  • Grotesque
  • Grouchy
  • Growling
  • Grubby
  • Grueling
  • Gruesome
  • Gruff
  • Grumbling
  • Grumpy
  • Guarded
  • Guilty
  • Gullible

Negative H Adjectives

  • Haggard
  • Halting
  • Haphazard
  • Hapless
  • Hard
  • Harebrained
  • Harmful
  • Harried
  • Harsh
  • Hasty
  • Hated
  • Hateful
  • Haughty
  • Hazardous
  • Hazy
  • Heartbreaking
  • Heartbroken
  • Heartless
  • Heated
  • Heavy
  • Hectic
  • Heinous
  • Helpless
  • Hesitant
  • Hideous
  • Hoarse
  • Hollow
  • Homeless
  • Homely
  • Hopeless
  • Hormonal
  • Horrendous
  • Horrible
  • Horrid
  • Horrific
  • Horrified
  • Horrifying
  • Hostile
  • Huffy
  • Hulking
  • Humdrum
  • Humiliated
  • Humiliating
  • Humorless
  • Hungry
  • Hurried
  • Hurt
  • Hurtful
  • Hushed

Negative I Adjectives

  • Icky
  • Iconoclastic
  • Icy
  • Idiotic
  • Ignorable
  • Ignorant
  • Ill
  • Illegal
  • Illegible
  • Illegitimate
  • Illicit
  • Illiterate
  • Illogical
  • Immature
  • Immodest
  • Immoral
  • Impatient
  • Imperfect
  • Imperial
  • Impersonal
  • Impertinent
  • Impetuous
  • Impolite
  • Imposing
  • Impossible
  • Impoverished
  • Impractical
  • Imprecise
  • Improper
  • Imprudent
  • Impulsive
  • Impure
  • Inaccessible
  • Inaccurate
  • Inactive
  • Inadequate
  • Inadmissible
  • Inadvisable
  • Inane
  • Inappropriate
  • Inarticulate
  • Inattentive
  • Inauspicious
  • Incapable
  • Incessant
  • Incoherent
  • Incompatible
  • Incompetent
  • Incomplete
  • Incomprehensible
  • Inconceivable
  • Inconclusive
  • Incongruent
  • Inconsequential
  • Inconsiderate
  • Inconsistent
  • Inconsolable
  • Inconvenient
  • Incorrect
  • Indecent
  • Indecipherable
  • Indecisive
  • Indifferent
  • Indignant
  • Indiscriminate
  • Inefficient
  • Infantile
  • Inferior
  • Infuriating
  • Inhospitable
  • Insane
  • Insincere
  • Insipid
  • Irksome
  • Irrational

Negative J Adjectives

  • Jammed
  • Jittering
  • Jolted
  • Jagged
  • Jolted
  • Jittery
  • Jam
  • Jumpy
  • Jumpy
  • Jabber
  • Jaded
  • Jarring
  • Jealous
  • Jeer
  • Jeopardize
  • Jeopardy
  • Jerky
  • Jobless
  • Joker
  • Judder
  • Junky

Negative L Adjectives

  • Lame
  • Laughable
  • Lecherous
  • Leering
  • Loathsome
  • Lowly

Negative M Adjectives

  • Macabre
  • Maddening
  • Madman
  • Maladjusted
  • Malcontent
  • Maledict
  • Malevolence
  • Malicious
  • Malign
  • Maltreatment
  • Mangled
  • Maniac
  • Manipulate
  • Marginal
  • Mashed
  • Massacre
  • Meager
  • Meaningless
  • Measly
  • Meddle
  • Mediocre
  • Melancholy
  • Melodramatic
  • Meltdown
  • Menace
  • Mendacious
  • Menial
  • Merciless
  • Messing
  • Mindless
  • Misaligned
  • Misbecomeing
  • Misbehave
  • Miscalculate
  • Mischievous
  • Misconception
  • Miscreant
  • Miserable
  • Misfortune
  • Misgiving
  • Misguided
  • Misinform
  • Misleading
  • Mispronounce
  • Misrepresent
  • Mistaken
  • Misunderstanding
  • Moan
  • Mobster
  • Mockery
  • Monotonous
  • Monstrosity
  • Moody
  • Moron
  • Mortified
  • Mournful
  • Mudslinging
  • Mundane
  • Murderous
  • Mysterious

Negative N Adjectives

  • Nagging
  • Naive
  • Narrower
  • Nastily
  • Naughty
  • Nauseating
  • Nebulous
  • Needlessly
  • Needy
  • Nefarious
  • Negate
  • Negative
  • Neglect
  • Negligence
  • Nemesis
  • Nepotism
  • Nervous
  • Nettlesome
  • Neurotic
  • Niggle
  • Nightmare
  • Nitpick
  • Noise
  • Nonsense
  • Nosey
  • Notoriously
  • Noxious
  • Nuisance

Negative O Adjectives

  • Omissible
  • Oafish
  • Obliterable
  • Occupied
  • Old
  • Odious
  • Outlaw
  • Obstinate
  • Only
  • Opportunistic
  • Opponent
  • Overaged

Negative P Adjectives

  • Parasitic
  • Pathological
  • Pedantic
  • Pessimistic
  • Petty
  • Petulant
  • Pitiful
  • Predictable
  • Prejudiced
  • Putrid

Negative Q Adjectives

  • Quarrelsome
  • Questionable
  • Quirky
  • Quack

Negative R Adjectives

  • Racist
  • Redundant
  • Reprehensible
  • Repugnant
  • Rude

Negative S Adjectives

  • Sanctimonious
  • Sickening
  • Smothering
  • Smug
  • Squalid

Negative T Adjectives

  • Tacky
  • Tasteless
  • Temperamental
  • Thoughtless
  • Timid
  • Toxic
  • Tyrannical

Negative U Adjectives

  • Ugly
  • Un-Viewable
  • Unable
  • Unacceptable
  • Unaffordable
  • Unappealing
  • Unattractive
  • Unauthentic
  • Unavailable
  • Unbearable
  • Unbelievable
  • Uncaring
  • Uncivilized
  • Unclean
  • Unclear
  • Uncomfortable
  • Unconfirmed
  • Unconstitutional
  • Uncontrolled
  • Unconvincing
  • Uncouth
  • Undependable
  • Uncreative
  • Undecided
  • Undefined
  • Underestimater
  • Undignified
  • Unethical
  • Uneven
  • Unfaithful
  • Unfamiliar
  • Unfeeling
  • Unfit
  • Unfortunate
  • Unfriendly
  • Ungrateful
  • Unhealthy
  • Unimportant
  • Uninformed
  • Unkind
  • Unknown
  • Unlucky
  • Unnerved
  • Unpleasant
  • Unqualified

Negative V Adjectives

  • vagrant
  • vain
  • venomous
  • vex
  • vicious
  • villainous
  • violent

Negative W Adjectives

  • Warlike
  • Wary
  • Waste
  • Wasteful
  • Weak
  • Wearisome
  • Weary
  • Weird
  • Wicked
  • Wild
  • Wily
  • Woeful
  • Worried
  • Worrier
  • Worse
  • Worst
  • Worthless
  • Wretched

Negative Z Adjectives

  • zealot
  • zealous
  • zombie