Adjectives That Start With A | List & Examples

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

  • Amazing
  • Attractive
  • Awesome
  • Angry
  • Annoying
  • Awful
  • Additional

This article contains lists of many more positive, negative, and neutral adjectives that start with an A.  

Positive adjectives that start with A

Here’s a list of adjectives that start with A with a positive connotation:

  • Able: Capable of completing a task
  • Abundant: More than enough
  • Accepting: Tolerant of other people or viewpoints
  • Accomplished: Highly skilled
  • Accurate: Correct
  • Adaptable: Able to change to suit the situation
  • Admirable: Worthy of respect
  • Adorable: Cute and lovable
  • Aesthetic: Artistic; pleasing to the eye
  • Agile: Nimble, able to move quickly; adaptable
  • Agreeable: Easy to get along with
  • Altruistic: Generous
  • Amazing: Incredible; worthy of praise
  • Amiable: Friendly; pleasant
  • Amusing: Funny; humorous
  • Angelic: Exceptionally good or well-behaved
  • Approachable: Easy to talk to; warm
  • Apropos: Appropriate; pertinent
  • Apt: Fitting for the situation
  • Articulate: Speaking fluently and coherently
  • Assiduous: Careful; methodical
  • Astute: Able to see underlying issues clearly
  • Attractive: Appealing, especially visually
  • Auspicious: Pointing toward future success
  • Awesome: Great; excellent

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

Adjectives that start with “A” PDF

Positive adjectives that start with A examples
We are fortunate to have abundant resources to tackle the problem.

The heiress’s altruistic instinct led her to give away much of her fortune.

An amiable man from Missouri struck up a conversation with me at the lecture.

My interview is on the 8th, my lucky number. How auspicious!

Negative adjectives that start with A

Here’s a list of adjectives that start with an A with a negative connotation. When applied to a person, these would almost always be considered insults. However, a word like “aggressive” could be positive in some contexts (e.g., “an aggressive business strategy”).

  • Abject: Completely hopeless, miserable
  • Abominable: Detestable; very bad
  • Abrasive: Harsh; rude
  • Absurd: Ridiculous
  • Abysmal: Extremely bad
  • Adverse: Harmful
  • Aggravating: Annoying; frustrating; made worse
  • Aggressive: Eager to fight or attack
  • Agonizing: Extremely painful (physically or emotionally)
  • Aimless: Without direction or purpose
  • Aloof: Distant; unfriendly
  • Amoral: Lacking moral principles
  • Angry: Mad; hostile
  • Annoying: Causing irritation
  • Antisocial: Not friendly; thoughtless about the effect of behavior on others
  • Apathetic: Lacking interest or energy
  • Appalling: Awful; horrific
  • Argumentative: Inclined to disagree
  • Arrogant: Prideful; overly confident
  • Atrocious: Horrible
  • Awful: Very bad or poor quality
  • Awkward: Inconvenient; lacking grace; embarrassing

You can also download this list of negative adjectives that start with A as a PDF.

Adjectives that start with “A” PDF

Negative adjectives that start with A examples
The politician grew up in abject poverty, without even running water.

Your handwriting is abysmal; I can’t read it at all.

In big groups, I can seem aloof because I don’t know who to talk to.

The way your boss treated you was atrocious; you need to resign immediately.

Note
Many of these negative adjectives have a similar meaning (i.e., “bad”). The difference is in the degree. In general, “atrocious” and “abysmal” are stronger than “awful,” though context matters greatly.

QuillBot’s free Paraphraser App for Android can help you find just the right adjective to express your meaning.

Neutral adjectives that start with A

The following adjectives are frequently used to describe objects or concepts with neither a positive nor negative connotation.

  • Abstract: Conceptual; theoretical; not concrete
  • Academic: Related to education; theoretical
  • Actual: Real; verifiable
  • Adequate: Sufficient
  • Additional: Added; extra
  • Adolescent: Young; between childhood and adulthood
  • Alert: Aware; vigilant
  • Alike: Similar; the same
  • Alternative: Different; offering a choice
  • Ancient: Very old
  • Annual: Occurring every year
  • Antique: Old and collectible
  • Apparent: Obvious; clear
  • Automatic: Working by itself
  • Average: In the middle; typical

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

Adjectives that start with “A” PDF

Neutral adjectives that start with A examples
Let’s stop talking about abstract ideas and put some actual numbers on the page.

The troop has adequate food for two weeks.

My dog becomes very alert any time someone rings our doorbell.

Note
Many of these so-called “neutral” adjectives can take on a positive or negative tone depending on context.

For example, calling a piece of advertising copy “academic” would likely be considered critical feedback, while students are praised for using “academic” language in essays.

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

Frequently asked questions about adjectives with A

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

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

  • Accomplished
  • Adaptable
  • Admirable
  • Agreeable
  • Altruistic
  • Amazing
  • Approachable
  • Articulate
  • Astute
  • Awesome
  • Assertive
  • Abrasive
  • Aimless
  • Aloof
  • Arrogant
  • Awkward

If you’re looking for synonyms, you can use QuillBot’s Paraphrasing extension for Chrome.

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Kayla Anderson Hewitt, MA

Kayla has a master's degree in teaching English as a second language. She has taught university-level ESL and first-year composition courses. She also has 15 years of experience as an editor.