What is an Adjective?
Adjectives are words that describe a person or a thing. They modify the meaning of nouns and pronouns. There are innumerable adjectives that start with the letter ‘a’. Here is a list of 50 adjectives that start with ‘a’ that have both positive and negative connotations.
50 adjectives that start with ‘a’
1. Abject – miserable, hopeless; submissive
Van Gogh died in abject poverty in 1890.
2. Able – having considerable proficiency, skills, or talent
She turned out to be an able copywriter.
3. Abnormal – not normal or usual
There was something abnormal about Dorothy’s behaviour.
4. Accurate – correct in all details, without error
The study was accurate and comprehensive.
5. Active – engaging in physical activity, energetic, or mobile
Robert’s grandfather is still active at the ripe age of 75.
6. Admirable – inspiring or deserving respect or admiration
He is an admirable man who has won numerous accolades and awards.
7. Adorable – lovable or worthy of affection
The baby is so adorable that I won to cuddle him.
8. Affable – friendly or easy to approach or talk to
Friendly and affable, Phil was the most popular executive among us.
9. Afraid – Filled with fear, frightened
Ramon has always been afraid of death.
10. Aggressive – hostile or prone to confront or attack; determined
John’s aggressive behaviour was a result of his upbringing.
11. Aghast – filled with horror or dread, feeling shocked
The tragic death of the actor left the entertainment industry aghast.
12 Agile – able to move fast, think, and grasp things quickly
Silva’s agile off-the-ball movements proved to be too much for the defenders.
13. Alarming – worrying or upsetting
The sparrows are disappearing at an alarming rate.
14. Alive – living or continuing in existence; being alert and active
The last-minute goal kept our hopes alive for the second leg.
15. Aloof – cool and distant physically or emotionally; not warm, friendly or involved
Paul kept himself aloof from the glitz and glamour.
16. Alluring – very attractive or fascinating, able to evoke desire
The exotic sweet shops in the town square were alluring.
17. Altruistic – Showing a selfless concern for the welfare of others
Megan’s altruistic nature was reflected in the hefty donations for several charitable causes.
18. Amazing – Inspiring awe or wonder; astonishing
NASA has published an amazing video of the Crab Nebula.
19. Ambidextrous – ability to use both hands equally well
Albert was naturally ambidextrous as he could write with both his left and right hand.
20. Ambitious – possessing or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed
Rita was an ambitious girl from a very early age.
21. Ambivalent – having mixed feelings or contradictory notions about someone or something
Most of us were fond of Ramon, but Kate was ambivalent about him.
22. Amenable – responsive to suggestions or easily controllable; susceptible or capable of being acted upon in a certain way
Ian’s parents have no headache as their son was a very amenable child.
23. Amicable – Characterised by friendliness and good will, good-natured
Ray and Monica ended their relationship of 10 years on amicable terms.
24. Amusing – Arousing laughter or providing entertainment and enjoyment.
The audience was treated to an amusing performance by the world’s best comedians.
25. Ancient – Belonging to distant past and doesn’t exist anymore; existing for a long time.
The ancient civilization of the Mayans is brimming with mysteries.
26. Angelic – relating to angels; exceptionally beautiful or having a kind nature like an angel
Moira’s angelic smile sharply contrasted her insolent behaviour.
27. Angry – feeling or showing anger, enmity; threatening; severely inflamed
The angry customer punched the shopkeeper during the altercation.
28. Anonymous – unknown, usually by choice; no remarkable or outstanding features
The interviewee’s name was withheld as the person wished to remain anonymous.
29. Antagonistic – Arousing hostility toward a person or a thing or a feeling of active opposition
The actor is very antagonistic toward all his critics.
30. Apathetic – Showing or feeling little or no interest, emotion, or concern
The government’s apathetic attitude to the labour class incited vehement protests.
31. Appalling – causing shock or horrifying; awful
The appalling conditions inside the refugee camps will make you feel terrible.
32. Appealing – able to attract interest or attraction; showing a desire for sympathy
Objects having bright, vivid colours are always appealing to little children.
33. Apprehensive – fearing evil or harm, a feeling of something bad about to happen; quick to understand
I am feeling apprehensive about my test results.
34. Appropriate – suitable or proper in a particular situation
Maya took hours in choosing appropriate attire for her friend’s wedding reception.
35. Ardent – Enthusiastic, passionate; glowing or burning like fire
Roy is an ardent supporter of the Spanish national football team since his childhood.
36. Arrogant – having or revealing an attitude of superiority due to exaggeration of ones’ own importance
The arrogant actor dismissed his fans when they asked for autographs.
37. Artificial – not natural or created by human beings; false; insincere
John was duped into buying an artificial diamond ring for a hefty price.
38. Artistic – relating to art or artists; aesthetically satisfying or pleasing; having natural creative talents
Alison left her daily job as an auditor to focus on her artistic endeavours.
39. Ashen – a pale expression on face due to shock, fear, or illness; made of wood from the ash tree
Neil’s eyes closed, his face turned ashen, and he trembled in trepidation.
40. Astonished – Considerably amazed, surprised, or impressed
I was astonished to find out that my cousin has won the spelling bee competition.
41. Astounding – Surprisingly impressive, stunning
It was an astounding achievement to win the prestigious Marshall Scholarship.
42. Atrocious – Shockingly brutal or wicked; very bad or unpleasant
The atrocious car accident on Tuesday killed five people.
43. August – highly honoured and impressive
I felt privileged to be in the august company of distinguished laureates.
44. Authentic – genuine, accurate or reliable, not counterfeit or copied
The museum still claims to own an authentic Rembrandt portrait.
45. Autocratic – relating to a ruler who possesses absolute power; domineering or prone to exercising power in an unjustified way
The decree had autocratic undertones.
46. Autonomous – Not controlled by external forces or having the liberty to govern itself; existing as an independent entity
The push for an autonomous government resulted in severe clashes with the authorities.
47. Avid – marked by enthusiasm or keen interest in something; having an ardent desire for something
David is an avid Liverpool supporter.
48. Awesome – inspiring awe or exceptionally impressive
We spent an awesome evening at the rock concert.
49. Awful – Extremely bad or unpleasant, shocking or horrific, troubled; extreme in degree or extent
Jonathan got an awful shock when he looked at his report card.
50. Awkward – causing inconvenience; hard to deal with, causing difficulty; uncooperative on purpose, not smooth or graceful
I found myself in an awkward situation when I went to the party without any gifts.
The above list of 50 adjectives that start with a is no way the only list and is just a subset. The key is to keep practising as many as you can and never rely on a single list. For that we have provided you with more resources for adjectives that start with a and you can find them under the More reading section below
More Reading
Comprehensive list of adjectives for kids
Adjectives beginning with r
What’s an adjective
Adjectives with s
Adjectives that start with A
Adjectives That Start With A Through Z & How They’re Used
Words to describe a friend