# Words to describe a person: 50 words for personality and appearance

- Updated: 2026-11-09
- Level: A2

## Quick answer

Use adjectives for personality (kind, honest, shy) and for appearance (tall, slim, curly). Use "be" for personality and build: "She is kind", "He is tall". Use "have" for hair and face: "She has curly hair". Below are 50 useful words in 7 groups.

## The 7 groups in this post

1. [Positive personality words](#1-positive-personality-words)
2. [Negative personality words](#2-negative-personality-words)
3. [Neither good nor bad](#3-neither-good-nor-bad)
4. [Height and build](#4-height-and-build)
5. [Hair](#5-hair)
6. [Face](#6-face)
7. [Idioms for people](#7-idioms-for-people)

## 1. Positive personality words

| Word | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **kind** | caring about others and helping them |
| **friendly** | nice to new people and easy to talk to |
| **funny** | making people laugh |
| **clever** | learning and understanding quickly |
| **honest** | telling the truth |
| **patient** | able to wait calmly |
| **generous** | happy to give money, time or help |
| **reliable** | doing what they promise |
| **confident** | sure they can do things well |
| **cheerful** | happy in a way others notice |
| **outgoing** | enjoying meeting new people |
| **modest** | not talking much about their own success |
| **considerate** | thinking about how others feel |

- She's very **generous** and always offers to pay for dinner.

[Practise personality words (A1)](/vocabulary/personality-a1) · more: [A2](/vocabulary/appearance-a2), [B1](/vocabulary/appearance-b1), [B2](/vocabulary/appearance-b2)

## 2. Negative personality words

| Word | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **selfish** | caring only about what they want |
| **moody** | often changing from happy to angry or sad |
| **stubborn** | refusing to change their mind |
| **arrogant** | acting more important than others |
| **impulsive** | doing things without thinking first |
| **sarcastic** | saying the opposite of what they mean, to make fun |

- My father is too **stubborn** to ask for directions.

[Practise these words (B1)](/vocabulary/appearance-b1) · more: [B2](/vocabulary/appearance-b2)

## 3. Neither good nor bad

| Word | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **shy** | nervous and quiet with new people |
| **quiet** | not talking much |
| **calm** | not easily worried or angry |
| **sensitive** | easily upset by what others say |
| **cautious** | careful to avoid danger or mistakes |
| **ambitious** | strongly wanting to succeed |

- He was too **shy** to ask her name.

[Practise these words (A1)](/vocabulary/personality-a1) · more: [A2](/vocabulary/appearance-a2), [B1](/vocabulary/appearance-b1), [B2](/vocabulary/appearance-b2)

## 4. Height and build

| Word | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **tall** | higher than most people |
| **short** | not tall |
| **thin** | with little flesh on the body |
| **slim** | thin in a nice, healthy way |
| **fit** | strong and healthy from exercise |
| **muscular** | with big, strong muscles |
| **stocky** | short, wide and strong-looking |
| **petite** | small and slim (usually said of a woman) |

- He's **tall** and **slim**, with short curly hair.

[Practise appearance words (A1)](/vocabulary/appearance-a1) · more: [A2](/vocabulary/appearance-a2), [B1](/vocabulary/appearance-b1), [B2](/vocabulary/appearance-b2)

## 5. Hair

| Word | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **curly** | with lots of round turns |
| **wavy** | in loose waves |
| **blond** | pale yellow |
| **bald** | with little or no hair |
| **a ponytail** | hair tied at the back so it hangs down |
| **a fringe** | short hair hanging over the forehead (US: bangs) |

- She has long **wavy** hair and a **fringe**.

[Practise appearance words (A1)](/vocabulary/appearance-a1) · more: [A2](/vocabulary/appearance-a2), [B1](/vocabulary/appearance-b1)

## 6. Face

| Word | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **a beard** | hair on a man's chin and cheeks |
| **a moustache** | hair above a man's top lip |
| **glasses** | what you wear to see better |
| **freckles** | small light-brown spots on the skin |
| **a dimple** | a small hollow in the cheek when you smile |
| **wrinkles** | small lines in the skin as you get older |

- She has a **dimple** in her left cheek when she smiles.

[Practise describing people (A2)](/vocabulary/appearance-a2) · more: [B1](/vocabulary/appearance-b1), [B2](/vocabulary/appearance-b2)

## 7. Idioms for people

| Idiom | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **an early bird** | someone who gets up early |
| **a night owl** | someone who stays up late |
| **down to earth** | simple and practical |
| **a people person** | someone who enjoys being with others |
| **a chatterbox** | someone who talks a lot |

- My little sister is such **a chatterbox**.

[Practise people idioms (A2)](/vocabulary/people-and-character-a2) · more: [B1](/vocabulary/people-and-character-b1), [B2](/vocabulary/people-and-character-b2)

## How to put them in a sentence

- **be** + personality or build: *She is kind. He is tall and fit.*
- **have** + hair, eyes or face: *She has curly hair. He has a beard.*
- **with** to add a detail: *a tall man with glasses*

| Wrong | Right |
| --- | --- |
| ~~She is long hair.~~ | She **has** long hair. |
| ~~He has a curly hair.~~ | He has curly hair. |
| ~~He has black short hair.~~ | He has **short black** hair. |
| ~~She is very beauty.~~ | She is very **beautiful**. |

## Practice

- [Practise describing people (A2)](https://hienglishquiz.com/vocabulary/appearance-a2)