Adjectives That Start With G | List & Examples

There are many adjectives (words that describe a noun) that start with G. A few of the most common adjectives that start with G are:

  • Generous
  • Glamorous
  • Glorious
  • Good
  • Grand
  • Gloomy
  • Greedy
  • Grim
  • Guilty
  • General
  • Gentle
  • Greatest

This article has lists of many adjectives that start with a G, divided into positive, negative, and neutral.

Positive adjectives that start with G

This is a list of adjectives that start with G with a positive connotation:

  • Gallant: Dashing and brave; gentlemanly
  • Generous: Gives freely; large
  • Genial: Friendly; pleasant
  • Genuine: Real; sincere; not fake
  • Gifted: Talented; very able
  • Glamorous: Stylish; attractive and appealing
  • Gleaming: Shining gently
  • Glorious: Wonderful; splendid
  • Glossy: With a shiny surface; high quality print
  • Glowing: Warmly giving off light, very positive
  • Golden: Made of gold; gold-colored; best
  • Good: Moral; positive; correct
  • Gorgeous: Extremely attractive; stunning
  • Graceful: Moving with poise; elegant
  • Gracious: Kind; thoughtful; giving
  • Grand: On a large scale; large; ambitious
  • Grateful: Thankful
  • Great: Excellent; large; very good
  • Gregarious: Mixes well with people; friendly and outgoing
  • Grinning: Smiling without showing the teeth
  • Groundbreaking: Innovative; new; seminal
  • Gutsy: Brave; courageous

You can also download this list of positive adjectives that start with G as a PDF.

Adjectives that start with “G” PDF

Positive adjectives that start with G examples
The weather that summer was glorious, leaving the dedicated sun worshippers glowing with their golden tans and grateful with happiness.

Everyone loved Emily. She was gregarious, gracious, and gifted with a genuine liking for her work.

The first album was groundbreaking and full of gutsy, grand ballads.

Negative adjectives that start with G

Here’s a list of adjectives that start with an G with a negative connotation. When applied to a person, these would almost always be considered insults.

  • Galling: Causing annoyance and regret; vexing
  • Garish: Brightly colorful; lacking in good taste
  • Gasping: Struggling for breath
  • Gaudy: Garishly bright; overly showy
  • Gaunt: Extremely thin; emaciated
  • Ghastly: Dreadful; macabre
  • Ghostly:  faint; related to ghosts; slight
  • Ghoulish: Macabre; ghostly
  • Gimmicky: Attention-grabbing; insubstantial
  • Glacial: Extremely slow; extremely cold
  • Gloomy: Dull; miserable; pessimistic
  • Glum: Miserable; unhappy
  • Gory: Bloody; grisly
  • Graceless: Uncouth; oafish
  • Grandiose: Overtly grand; pretentious; over-ambitious
  • Grating: Abrasive; scraping; unpleasant on the ear
  • Grave: Very serious
  • Greasy: Oily, dirty
  • Greedy: Taking too much; selfish
  • Grim: Serious; not looking promising
  • Grimy: Dirty; smeared with dirt
  • Griping: Severe; intense
  • Grisly: Gory; unpleasant
  • Groaning: Moaning; overburdened
  • Groggy: Sleepy; disoriented; semi-conscious
  • Gross: Disgusting; before tax; including tare weight
  • Grotesque: Hideous; disturbing
  • Grubby: Dirty; soiled; unethical
  • Grudging: Unwilling; resentful
  • Gruesome: Repulsive; ghastly
  • Gruff: Terse; low frequency
  • Grumbling: Complaining
  • Guilty: Convicted of a crime; not innocent
  • Gullible: Easily fooled; credulous
  • Gutted: Eviscerated; massively disappointed; disemboweled

Adjectives that start with “G” PDF

Negative adjectives that start with G examples
It was galling to have lost, especially to a grotesque, greedy, graceless oaf of a man known more for his grubby dealings than anything else.

People were gullible, she knew, and likely to fall for some gimmicky trick, especially if it was sold to them by grandiose claims of rescuing them from their gloomy existence.

The report made for grim reading, as it listed the grisly details of some of the more grave crimes of the guilty parties.

Neutral adjectives that start with G

The following adjectives that start with a G have neither a positive nor negative connotation.

  • Gainful: Remunerated; paid
  • Gaping: Wide; wide-open
  • Gaseous: Gassy 
  • General: Not specific; widespread
  • Generic: Not branded; unremarkable
  • Gentle: Soft; kind; not harsh
  • Geographical: Concerning geography
  • Germane: Relevant; pertinent
  • Giant: Extremely large; overgrown
  • Gigantic: Massive; huge
  • Given: Named; certain
  • Glad: Happy; joyful
  • Glaring: Obvious; staring
  • Glasslike: Fragile; transparent
  • Gleeful: Extremely happy; celebratory; gloating
  • Global: Universal; worldwide
  • Gloved: Wearing gloves
  • Glutinous: Excessively greedy with food
  • Gnarled: Twisted and old; contorted 
  • Good-natured: Easy-going, content
  • Gradual: Not sudden; incremental
  • Grainy: Unclear; not sharp
  • Grandfatherly: Like a grandfather
  • Granular: Made up of grains; detailed
  • Graphic: Visual; explicit
  • Gravelly:  Covered in gravel; deep and raspy
  • Gray: The color gray; uncertain
  • Greatest: Beyond compare; best; biggest; most significant
  • Grinding: Abrasive; relentless
  • Gritty: Determined; tough; full of or covered with grit
  • Grooved: Covered in grooves
  • Growing: Increasing; developing
  • Grungy: Related to grunge music and style
  • Guarded: Protected; cautious
  • Guided: Given direction; controlled
  • Guttural: From the throat; throaty; husky

You can also download this list of neutral adjectives that start with G as a PDF.

Adjectives that start with “G” PDF

Neutral adjectives that start with G examples
Looking at the grainy old photos, Sylvia was filled with a growing sense of joy.

The guided tour was led by a grizzled, gentle, grandfatherly man who took delight in showing us the greatest treasures of the gigantic cathedral.

Jim uttered a guttural, gleeful sound as the theme park ride dropped suddenly into the gaping hole in the ground.

Adjectives with other letters

If you’re looking for adjectives that start with another letter, you can visit one of our other articles.

Adjectives with A Adjectives with F Adjectives with L Adjectives with Q Adjectives with V
Adjectives with B Adjectives with H Adjectives with M Adjectives with R Adjectives with W
Adjectives with C Adjectives with I Adjectives with N Adjectives with S Adjectives with X
Adjectives with D Adjectives with J Adjectives with O Adjectives with T Adjectives with Y
Adjectives with E Adjectives with K Adjectives with P Adjectives with U Adjectives with Z

Frequently asked questions about adjectives with G

What are some adjectives starting with g to describe a person?

Some adjectives that start with G to describe a person include:

  • Gallant
  • Generous
  • Genial
  • Gifted
  • Glamorous
  • Graceful
  • Gregarious
  • Gutsy
  • Glum
  • Greedy
  • Gruff
  • Gullible
  • Gentle
  • Glutinous
  • Grizzled
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Trevor Marshall, MSc

Trevor has a BA in English Literature & Language and an MSc in Applied Social Studies. He has been a teacher for 25 years, with 15 years experience teaching ESL alongside 1st language students.