• List Of Adjectives
• Really Adjective
• Really Long Adjectives
• Really Good Adjectives To Describe Someone
• 100 Descriptive Adjectives
• Really Good Adjectives

Do you know how to use adjectives in phrases like a bit cold, really cold and absolutely freezing?

Look at these examples to see how gradable and non-gradable adjectives are used.

It's really cold.
It's absolutely freezing.
This exercise is really difficult.
This exercise is completely impossible.

The adjective of 'upset' is 'upset.' The word 'upset' can be a noun, a verb or an adjective. In the sentence 'She's really upset,' upset is an adjective.

• 281 Adjective Synonyms for Really.
• Used to show that you think something that somebody has done is bad. Really, you could have told us before. See really in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary See really in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English. Check pronunciation: really.
• Definition of really. 1 a: in reality: actually things as they really are there was nothing peculiar about her doing this, really — Peter Taylor. B: truly, unquestionably —used as an intensifier a really beautiful day. C: very sense 1 look really close he runs really.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

Grammar explanation

Gradable adjectives

Most adjectives are gradable. This means we can have different levels of that quality. For example, you can be a bit cold, very cold or extremely cold. We can make them weaker or stronger with modifiers:

She was quite angry when she found out.
The film we saw last night was really funny!
It can be extremely cold in Russia in the winter.

Here is a list of some common gradable adjectives and some modifiers that we can use with them.

Non-gradable: absolute adjectives

Some adjectives are non-gradable. For example, something can't be a bit finished or very finished. You can't be a bit dead or very dead. These adjectives describe absolute qualities. To make them stronger we have to use modifiers like absolutely, totally or completely:

Thank you, I love it! It's absolutely perfect!
Their farm was totally destroyed by a tornado.
My work is completely finished. Now I can relax.

Here is a list of some common absolute adjectives and some modifiers that we can use with them.

Non-gradable: extreme adjectives

Adjectives like amazing, awful and boiling are also non-gradable. They already contain the idea of 'very' in their definitions. If we want to make extreme adjectives stronger, we have to use absolutely or really:

Did you see the final match? It was absolutely amazing!
After 32 hours of travelling, they were absolutely exhausted.
My trip home was really awful. First, traffic was really bad, then the car broke down and we had to walk home in the rain.

Here is a list of some common extreme adjectives and some modifiers that we can use with them.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

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Related words

absent

showing that you are not payingattention to what is happening because you are thinking about something else

appealing

an appealinglook, voice etc shows that you wanthelp, approval, or agreement

beatific

literary a beatificexpression on your face is extremelyhappy and peaceful

bleak

used about someone’s expression

brooding

looking as if you are thinking and worrying about something

bug-eyed

informal very excited or interested, so that your eyes are wideopen

dark

a darklook or remark is angry and threatening

deadpan

pretending to be serious when you are reallyjoking

downcast

downcasteyes are lookingdownwards, especially because you are sad, embarrassed, or shy

dreamy

a dreamylook, expression etc shows that you are thinking about something pleasant rather than payingattention

etched

mainly literary if a feeling is etched on someone’s face, their expressionshowsclearly what they are feeling

expressionless

not allowing your feelings to show in your face, eyes, or voice

faint

used about the expression on someone’s face

fixed

a fixedexpression on someone’s facedoes not change or looknatural

glazed

a glazedlook or expressionshows no interest or emotion

grave

looking very serious and worried

haunted

someone who has a hauntedlooklooksfrightened or worried

hunted

List Of Adjectives

someone who has a huntedlook seems very worried or frightened

meaningful

expressing a clearfeeling or thought without words

mild

a mildfeeling or expression is one that is not very strong or severe

mischievous

a mischievouslook or expressionshows that you enjoyhavingfun by causingtrouble

mobile

moving a lot and showingchanges in what you are feeling

Mona Lisa

used for describing a mysterioussmile or expression on a woman’s face

on someone’s face

used for saying that someone’s face has a particularexpression

pained

showing that you feel very upset or unhappy

pitying

a pityingexpressionshows that you feelpity for someone, but sometimes also that shows you do not think they deserverespect

pleading

a pleadinglookshows that you want something very much

pleadingly

if you say something pleadingly, or if you look at someone pleadingly, your voice or expressionshows that you want something very much

quizzical

Really Adjective

showing that you are confused or surprised by something, and perhaps that you think it is rather strange and funny

radiant

someone who is radiantlooksextremelyhappy

roguish

a roguishexpressionsuggests that someone is likely to do something that is wrong but not harmful

sardonic

a sardonicsmile, expression, or commentshows a lack of respect for what someone else has said or done

set

a setsmile or expressiondoes not change, and often hides what someone is reallythinking

shamefaced

with an expression that shows you feelashamed about something

sly

a slysmile, look, or remarkshows that the persondoing it knows something that other people do not know

smiley

informalsmiling, or tending to smile often

straight face

if someone has a straightface, they look serious even though they are saying something funny or are in a funnysituation

straight-faced

not showing that you want to laugh

sullen

showing that you are in an unhappymood, and do not want to talk

sullen

used about someone’s expression or attitude

taut

used about something such as a voice or expression that shows someone is nervous or angry

thoughtful

used about someone’s face or expression

tight-lipped

Really Long Adjectives

someone who is tight-lipped has their lipspressedtightly together because they are annoyed about something or they do not approve of it

unblinking

mainly literarylookingstraight at someone or something without closing your eyes at all

unreadable

mainly literary if someone’s face, eyes, or expression are unreadable, you cannot guess what they are thinking

vacant

Really Good Adjectives To Describe Someone

looking as if you do not understand or are not payingattention

wan

used about someone who looks very sad

wanly

with a tiredsadexpression on your face

wide-eyed

with an expression that shows that you are very surprised, frightened, or impressed

wild-eyed

someone who is wild-eyedlooks very angry or frightened

100 Descriptive Adjectives

withering

a witheringlook, expression, or remarkdeliberatelymakes you feelsilly or embarrassed

wolfish

looking as though you want to hurt or trick someone

worried

Really Good Adjectives

used about the expression on people’s faces

wry

showing that you think something is funny but not very pleasant, often by the expression on your face