Adjectives That Start With Z | List & Examples

There aren’t very many adjectives (words that qualify a noun) that start with Z. Some of the more common adjectives that start with Z are:

  • Zealous
  • Zen
  • Zero-rated
  • Zany
  • Zonal
  • Zillionth

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

Positive adjectives that start with Z

Here’s a list of adjectives that start with Z with a positive connotation.

  • Zappy: Energetic; lively; full of vigor
  • Zazzy: Flashy; stylish; eye-catching (slang)
  • Zealous: Passionate; fervent; ardently devoted
  • Zen: Calm; peaceful; deeply relaxed
  • Zestful: Full of enthusiasm and energy
  • Zesty: Flavorful; spirited; exciting
Positive adjectives that start with Z examples
Teri was pretty zealous about correct English in written work and was unimpressed to see “zassy” in one of her students’ essays.

The twins were polar opposites in character: Bill was zestful and zappy, while Ben was all zen calm.

Negative adjectives that start with Z

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

  • Zero-rated: Worthless; having no value (figurative, also tax-related)
  • Zombified: Deprived of energy or vitality; dazed like a zombie
  • Zonked: Exhausted; completely worn out (colloquial)
Negative adjectives that start with Z examples
Perhaps because the group was zonked after their efforts that day, they had no hesitation in making sure the apparently zombified wait staff were zero-rated online.

Neutral adjectives that start with Z

The following adjectives usually have neither a positive nor negative connotation when describing something.

  • Zany: Amusingly unconventional; clownish
  • Zephyrian: Relating to a gentle breeze; airy (literary)
  • Zillionth: Informally denoting an extremely large ordinal number
  • Zodiacal: Relating to the zodiac
  • Zonal: Pertaining to a zone or region
  • Zoomorphic: Having the form or attributes of an animal
  • Zooty: Flashily dressed; stylish (slang)
  • Zymotic: Relating to or caused by fermentation or infectious disease
Neutral adjectives that start with Z examples
Liam explained for the zillionth time that he set no store by all that zodiacal nonsense spouted by astrologers.

Matt claimed that it was zonal problems that had led to the quirky—some might say downright zany—planning decisions.

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 K Adjectives with P Adjectives with U
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

Frequently asked questions about adjectives with Z

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

The few adjectives that start with Z to describe a person include:

  • Zealous
  • Zesty
  • Zombified
  • Zonked
  • Zany

You can always hunt for the right word by asking the QuillBot free AI chat for suggestions, synonyms, or meanings.

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Marshall, T. (2025, September 03). Adjectives That Start With Z | List & Examples. Quillbot. Retrieved October 20, 2025, from https://quillbot.com/blog/word-finder/adjectives-that-start-with-z/

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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.

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