This post is about positive words (adjectives) to describe people.
If you’re looking to give a speech about someone or write a recommendation letter, or just need to talk about someone in a positive way, here are some helpful adjectives you can use to talk about them.
There are all sorts of ways to describe people – from how they behave, to what they look like, what their accomplishments are, or what qualities they routinely reflect.
This list offers options to describe each of these qualities in greater detail than just saying, “this person is nice” or “they’re so great”.
They’re listed in alphabetical order, so you can easily find what you need!
Positive Adjectives to Describe Someone
- Active – engaged in energetic work, participatory, being nimble, quick
- Adaptable – able to adjust to new conditions
- Adventurous – willing to take new risks, full of excitement
- Affable – friendly and good natured, an easy person to talk to
- Affectionate – easily expressing fondness and readily showing feelings
- Agreeable – pleasant, enjoyable, and pleasureable to be around
- Alluring – powerfully attactrive, seductive, or fascinating
- Altruistic – showing selfless concern for the wellbeing of others
- Ambitious – showing a strong desire to achieve
- Amiable – having a friendly and pleasant personality
- Attractive – appealing to look at
- Balanced – fairly judging things and taking everything into account
- Benevolant – well meaning and kind personality
- Boisterous – energetic and cheerful behavior, exhuberant
- Brave – shows courage, ready to face possible danger
- Bright – quick-witted and intelligent
- Brilliant – accomplished, clever, or talented
- Calm – serenec, peaceful, and the absence of confrontational or angry emotions
- Candid – forthright and straightforward speech
- Charistmatic – a charming and magnetic personality
- Cheeky – irreverant behavior that is often amusing and endearing
- Cheerful – happy and optimistic personality
- Chic – stylish and elegant, usually refers to fashion sense
- Clever – intelligent and quick to comprehend ideas
- Compassionate – shows sympathy and concern for other people
- Confident – self-assured and showing belief in oneself
- Conscientious – showing diligence and the desire to what is right
- Considerate – showing regard for other people’s emotions and opinions
- Cooperative – collaborative and works well with others
- Courageous – brave and undeterred in the face of fear
- Creative – having imaginative and original ideas
- Cultured – a civilized and well educated person with refined taste
- Curious – an eagerness to learn or know more
- Cute – appealing in an attractive or adorable way
- Dazzling – an impressive or remarkable personality
- Decisive – having the ability to make quick, concise decisions
- Delightful – a charming and agreeable personality
- Determined – displaying purposeful or resolved behavior
- Devoted – a loyal and true person
- Diligent – hard working and conscientious about work
- Diplomatic – tactful and sensitive to not offend
- Discrete – a trustworthy person who does not spread information
- Distinguished – commands respect and may be well-known
- Driven – hard working and ambitious personality
- Dynamic – full of energy, ideas, and spirit
- Eager – a keen and enthusistic interest
- Easy-going – having a tolerant and relaxed manner
- Efficient – competent and methodical with time and resources
- Elegant – stylish and tasteful in appearance or behavior
- Empathetic – understands and compassionate towards the feelings of others
- Encouraging – supportive and positive
- Energetic – lively and dynamic behavior
- Engaging – charming and appealing personality
- Enterprising – resourceful, ingenious, and recognizes opportunities
- Enthusiastic – showing passion and intense interest
- Ethical – having moral principles
- Exuberant – showing lively energy and excitement
- Fastidious – attentive to detail and accuracy
- Flexible – adaptable to circumstances and conditions
- Friendly – pleasant and amiable personality
- Funny – humorous or amusing
- Generous – showing plentiful kindness towards others
- Gentle – kind and tender temperament
- Glamourous – elegant, beautiful, and attractive style
- Graceful – tasteful and refined
- Gregarious – sociable and popular personality
- Humble – respectful and deferential behavior
- Independent – self-sufficient and free from influence
- Inspiring – encouraging and influencing others
- Intuitive – instinctive and innate understanding
- Inventive – creative and displaying original thought
- Jovial – cheerful and happy personality
- Keen – discerning and highly developed understanding
- Kind – friendly, generous, and considerate
- Kind-hearted – having a friendly and sympathetic nature
- Lively – full of energy, active and outgoing
- Lovely – attractive and beautiful person
- Mature – makes fully considered decisions, emotionally balanced
- Nurturing – protective and encouraging
- Optimistic – a positive and confident outlook
- Patient – tolerant and uncomplaining in the face of delays or trouble
- Proficient – accomplished and experiences
- Refined – having an elegant and civilized manner
- Relaxed – laid-backed and untroubled nature
- Reliable – able to be trusted
- Resourceful – ingenious and able to quickly solve problems
- Selfless – altruistic and concerned with the needs of others
- Sharp – quick-witted and clever
- Sincere – a genuine person free from deceit
- Sporty – athletic, casual, and jaunty
- Sociable – friendly, affable, and engaging with people
- Sympathetic – an empathetic and friendly personality
- Tasteful – showing great aesthetic judgement
- Tender – showing gentleness and sympathy
- Thoughtful – attentive and considerate of the feelings of others
- Warm-hearted – a kind-hearted and generous person
- Wholesome – a good and ethical person
- Witty – amusing and quick communication style
- Wise – showing experience and good judgement
- Zealous – showing passion
- Zippy – a bright, fresh, and lively personality
