Negative Adjectives

adjective Causing shock or dismay; horrific

• The conditions in the factory were truly appalling, with workers being subjected to long hours and unsafe working conditions.
• The service at the restaurant was just appalling, I couldn't believe how rude the staff were.
• The movie was so bad, it was just appallingly terrible.
• The lack of action on climate change is truly appalling, considering the impact it will have on future generations.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb by providing information on how the action is performed

• The defendant's actions were atrociously unethical and deserve severe punishment.
• The movie was atrociously bad, I couldn't even finish watching it.
• She sang atrociously at the karaoke bar last night, it was painful to listen to.
• The politician's lies were spreading atrociously like wildfire among the public.

adjective causing fear, dread, or terror; extremely bad or unpleasant

• The quality of the product was truly awful, and we will need to address this issue immediately.
• I tried baking a cake last night, but it turned out awful.
• The weather today is just awful, I wish I could stay in bed all day.
• The situation at work has become so awful that I'm considering looking for a new job.

verb to damage the reputation of someone or something by slander or libel

• The politician was careful not to besmirch his opponent's reputation during the debate.
• I would never say anything to besmirch your good name.
• Don't listen to him, he's just trying to besmirch you.
• The rain besmirched the once pristine white dress, leaving muddy streaks.

verb to damage the reputation of someone or something

adjective having been damaged in reputation

• The reputation of the company was besmirched by the scandal.
• She felt her name was besmirched by the false rumors.
• He didn't want his good name besmirched by the gossip.
• The once pristine white dress was now besmirched with mud stains.

adjective describes something that is dull, uninteresting, or lacking excitement

• The lecture on quantum physics was so boring that many students fell asleep.
• I find history class so boring, I can't wait for it to be over.
• This movie is so boring, I'd rather watch paint dry.
• Her monotone voice made the presentation as boring as watching grass grow.

noun the action of constantly finding fault or complaining

adjective tending to find fault or criticize; complaining

• The carping critic pointed out every flaw in the artist's work.
• Stop carping about the weather and just enjoy the day.
• Why are you always carping about everything? Chill out!
• Her constant carping was like a mosquito buzzing in my ear.

adjective lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence

• His crass behavior at the gala was highly inappropriate.
• I can't believe how crass he was acting at the party.
• She's always been a bit crass, but we love her for it.
• The crass way he handled the situation left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

noun a contemptible or cowardly person

• The doctor used a cure to treat the patient's illness.
• I heard that new medication is supposed to be a great cure.
• I need to find a quick cure for this headache.
• Music has always been a cure for my soul.

verb to criticize unfairly or belittle

• It is not professional to denigrate your colleagues in the workplace.
• Don't denigrate your friend's taste in music just because it's different from yours.
• Stop denigrating my favorite TV show, it's actually really good.
• She felt like her self-esteem was denigrated after receiving harsh criticism from her boss.

noun A person or thing that is considered to be very bad or unacceptable.

adjective Deserving strong condemnation; shockingly bad in quality.

• The conditions in the factory were deplorable and did not meet safety standards.
• The state of his apartment was deplorable, with trash everywhere.
• That movie was deplorable, I can't believe we wasted money on it.
• The way she treated her employees was deplorable, like she had no regard for their well-being.

adjective expressing disapproval or criticism

• Her deprecatory remarks towards her colleagues were not well received in the professional setting.
• I don't appreciate your deprecatory comments about my cooking skills.
• Stop being so deprecatory, it's not cool.
• His deprecatory attitude towards life is holding him back from achieving his goals.

adjective causing someone to feel sad or displeased because something did not happen as expected or because something was not as good as expected

• The results of the experiment were quite disappointing.
• I was really let down by how things turned out.
• The movie was a total bummer, dude.
• The lack of support from our team was truly disappointing.

adjective showing contempt or lack of respect

• The professor looked disdainful as he watched the students chatting during the lecture.
• She gave a disdainful look to the person who cut in line at the grocery store.
• The popular girl at school always acts disdainful towards anyone she considers beneath her.
• His disdainful attitude towards authority figures often got him into trouble.

adjective causing a strong feeling of dislike or disapproval; offensive or revolting

• The sight of the overflowing garbage can was absolutely disgusting.
• Ew, that food looks disgusting.
• That movie was so gross, it was downright disgusting.
• The level of corruption in that government is truly disgusting.

verb present participle of the verb 'dismay', meaning to cause someone to feel distressed or discouraged

adjective causing someone to feel distressed or discouraged

• The results of the study were truly dismaying, showing a significant decline in test scores.
• It's dismaying to see how much litter is left behind after a concert.
• I was so dismaying when I saw my ex with their new partner.
• The storm clouds gathering overhead cast a dismaying shadow over the picnic.

verb to speak of in a way that shows a lack of respect or approval

• It is unprofessional to disparage your colleagues in the workplace.
• Don't disparage your friends behind their backs.
• Stop dissing me, it's not cool to disparage others.
• His constant criticism seemed to disparage even the brightest ideas.

adjective lacking in stylishness or neatness; shabby in appearance

• The dowdy attire of the librarian did not reflect her vibrant personality.
• She felt dowdy in her old sweatpants and oversized t-shirt.
• I can't believe she wore that dowdy outfit to the party.
• The once vibrant neighborhood had become dowdy and neglected over the years.

verb make or become less sharp, intense, or distinct

adjective lacking interest or excitement; not bright, intense, or clear

• The lecture was quite dull, lacking any engaging content.
• I find history class so dull, I can barely stay awake.
• This movie is so dull, I'd rather watch paint dry.
• His personality is as dull as a rusty blade, lacking any spark or excitement.

adjective deserving to be execrated; detestable; abominable; hateful

• The quality of the product was deemed execrable by the critics.
• I can't believe how execrable that movie was.
• The service at that restaurant was absolutely execrable.
• Her behavior towards her colleagues was nothing short of execrable.

noun a person or thing that is unsuccessful or ineffective

verb to be unsuccessful in achieving a goal or passing a test

adjective not successful or effective

• The project was deemed a fail due to numerous errors in the code.
• I knew I would fail the test if I didn't study.
• Don't worry, everyone fails sometimes. It's no biggie.
• His attempt to win her over was a fail, as she was not interested in him at all.

adjective having a dowdy or unfashionable appearance

• Her frumpish attire stood out among the elegant evening gowns at the charity gala.
• She didn't care about looking frumpish in her oversized sweater and sweatpants.
• I can't believe she showed up to the party looking so frumpish.
• His frumpish attitude towards life held him back from reaching his full potential.

adjective extremely unpleasant or bad; terrible

• The quality of the product was godawful and did not meet our expectations.
• I tried watching that movie last night, but it was godawful.
• The weather today is just godawful, I wish it would clear up.
• The traffic on the highway was godawful, it took me twice as long to get home.

adjective lacking grace, elegance, or charm; awkward or clumsy in movement or behavior

adjective adjective describes a noun or pronoun by giving more information about their qualities, characteristics, or features. In this case, 'harsh' describes something that is severe, rough, or unpleasant.

• The judge gave a harsh sentence to the criminal.
• My mom can be pretty harsh when I don't clean my room.
• The teacher's grading was so harsh, I barely passed the test.
• The harsh reality of the situation hit me hard.

adjective an adjective modifies a noun or pronoun and provides more information about it

adverb an adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb and indicates the manner, time, place, or degree of an action

• The experiment went horribly wrong due to a miscalculation in the formula.
• I failed horribly at the math test because I didn't study enough.
• She messed up the presentation horribly and now everyone is laughing.
• The storm hit the town horribly, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

adjective causing horror or disgust; extremely unpleasant

• The conditions in the refugee camp were horrid, with limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
• I can't believe the horrid service we received at that restaurant last night.
• That movie was so horrid, I couldn't even finish watching it.
• The thought of having to sit through another one of his horrid lectures makes me cringe.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb to indicate manner, degree, or frequency

• The weather turned horridly cold overnight, causing a sharp drop in temperatures.
• I failed the exam horridly, I didn't even understand half of the questions.
• She was dressed horridly, like she got dressed in the dark.
• The news of his betrayal hit her horridly, shattering her trust completely.

adjective Ill-favored is an adjective that describes someone or something as unattractive or unpleasant in appearance.

• The ill-favored proposal was quickly dismissed by the board of directors.
• She always avoids sitting next to that ill-favored colleague during meetings.
• I can't believe he's dating that ill-favored girl from our class.
• The ill-favored decision to cut funding for the arts was met with backlash from the community.

adjective showing a lack of wisdom or prudence; unwise

• It would be impolitic to discuss such sensitive matters in public.
• It's probably impolitic to bring up politics at the family dinner.
• Talking about your ex is just impolitic, dude.
• Her actions were impolitic, like playing with fire in a dry forest.

adjective describing something that is shameful or disgraceful

• The general's inglorious defeat in battle was a blow to the nation's morale.
• His inglorious exit from the party was the talk of the town.
• She felt inglorious after failing her driving test for the third time.
• The artist's inglorious attempt at capturing the sunset left much to be desired.

adjective a term used to describe someone who is foolish or unintelligent

• The decision to invest in that project was deemed as a lamebrained idea by the board members.
• I can't believe you fell for that lamebrained scheme.
• His lamebrained excuse for being late was that he couldn't find his keys.
• Trying to fix a leaky pipe with duct tape is just a lamebrained solution.

noun a person of low social status or moral character

• The judge referred to the criminal as a lowlife during the sentencing hearing.
• I can't believe that lowlife stole my wallet!
• That lowlife is always causing trouble around here.
• She felt like a lowlife after betraying her best friend.

noun a slanderous statement or report

verb to speak harmful untruths about; speak evil of; slander; defame

• The doctor identified a malign tumor during the patient's routine check-up.
• I heard some malign rumors about her spreading around the office.
• Don't listen to her, she's just maligning you because she's jealous.
• His malign intentions were evident in his deceptive actions.

adjective a term used to describe something unpleasant, offensive, or morally objectionable

• The committee was shocked by the nasty allegations made against the company's CEO.
• I can't believe she said such a nasty thing about him!
• That party was so nasty, everyone was acting crazy!
• Her words cut deep, leaving a nasty wound in their relationship.

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb, expressing manner, place, time, or degree

• She found his criticism to be overly harsh and unwarranted.
• I think you're being overly sensitive about the situation.
• Stop being so overly dramatic about everything!
• His love for her was like an overly abundant garden, overflowing with beauty and passion.

adjective Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

• The art critic dismissed the painting as pretentious and lacking in genuine emotion.
• She always talks about her expensive taste in wine, but I think it's just pretentious.
• Why is he always acting so pretentious around us?
• His pretentious attitude was like a thick fog, obscuring any genuine connection we could have had.

adjective describing something of poor quality or value, trashy or worthless

• The quality of the product was quite rubbishy, with poor craftsmanship and materials.
• I tried watching that show but it was just too rubbishy for me.
• The party was so rubbishy, we left after five minutes.
• Her excuses for being late were just a load of rubbishy nonsense.

adjective causing general public outrage by a perceived offense against morality or law

• The scandalous behavior of the politician was widely condemned by the public.
• Did you hear about the scandalous gossip going around about Sarah?
• That outfit is scandalous, girl!
• The scandalous storm of controversy swept through the small town.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case 'scathing' means severely critical or harsh.

• The critic wrote a scathing review of the new play, calling it unoriginal and poorly executed.
• I couldn't believe how scathing my friend's comments were about the movie we watched last night.
• The teacher's scathing remarks about my presentation really hurt my feelings.
• Her scathing wit cut through the tension in the room like a knife.

noun A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'rate' is a noun referring to a measurement or evaluation of quality.

adjective An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. In this case, 'second rate' is describing the quality of something as being inferior or of lesser quality.

• The company was accused of producing second-rate products that did not meet industry standards.
• I heard that new restaurant is pretty second-rate, we should probably go somewhere else.
• That movie was so second-rate, I fell asleep halfway through.
• She felt like she was living a second-rate life compared to her more successful friends.

adjective Sleazy is used to describe something that is sordid, immoral, or disreputable in a way that is distasteful or unpleasant.

• The sleazy tactics used by the company were quickly exposed by the media.
• I can't believe that sleazy guy tried to hit on me at the bar.
• That club is so sleazy, let's go somewhere else.
• His sleazy behavior left a bad taste in my mouth.

adjective lacking flavor or taste; unappetizing

• The dish was deemed tasteless by the food critics due to lack of seasoning.
• I tried the soup and it was so tasteless, I couldn't finish it.
• This pizza is so tasteless, it's like eating cardboard.
• The artist's latest work was criticized as tasteless, lacking in depth and emotion.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'tuneless' describes something that lacks a pleasant or harmonious sound.

• The singer's tuneless performance failed to impress the audience.
• I can't stand listening to her tuneless singing.
• Her tuneless voice is like nails on a chalkboard.
• His tuneless guitar playing was a cacophony of discordant notes.

adjective describing something that is not attractive or appealing

• The unalluring presentation failed to captivate the audience.
• The movie turned out to be unalluring and boring.
• I find his outfit totally unalluring.
• Her unalluring personality made it hard for others to connect with her.

adjective An adjective that describes something as not flattering or favorable.

adverb An adverb that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb to indicate that something is not complimentary.

• The critic's review was full of uncomplimentary remarks about the actor's performance.
• She couldn't help but make uncomplimentary comments about her coworker's outfit.
• The online trolls were posting uncomplimentary memes about the politician.
• His uncomplimentary words were like daggers to her heart.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case, 'unflattering' describes something that is not complimentary or attractive.

• The unflattering report highlighted several areas for improvement in the company's operations.
• I didn't appreciate the unflattering comments she made about my outfit.
• That picture is so unflattering, delete it!
• His unflattering behavior painted a negative image of him in the eyes of his colleagues.

adjective An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'unimpressive' describes something that does not make a strong or favorable impact.

• The candidate's performance during the interview was unimpressive.
• The movie we saw last night was pretty unimpressive.
• That new restaurant everyone is talking about? It's totally unimpressive.
• His attempt to impress her with his cooking skills was unimpressive at best.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'unlovely' describes something that is not attractive or pleasing.

• The unlovely building stood out among the elegant architecture of the city.
• I don't like that unlovely dress you're wearing.
• That unlovely haircut is not doing you any favors.
• Her unlovely personality made it hard for others to warm up to her.

adjective describes something that has no use or value

• The experiment yielded useless results due to errors in the data collection process.
• I tried to fix my old computer, but it's useless now.
• That new app is so useless, it's just a waste of space on my phone.
• Her advice fell on deaf ears, as it was useless in changing his mind.

adjective lacking liveliness, animation, or interest; dull

• The vapid speech failed to capture the attention of the audience.
• I can't stand listening to her vapid conversations.
• Her Instagram feed is so vapid, it's just full of selfies.
• The vapid atmosphere in the room made it hard to breathe.

verb Vilifying is a verb that means to speak or write about someone in a very critical or abusive way.

• The politician was accused of vilifying his opponent during the debate.
• I heard that she's been vilifying her ex-boyfriend on social media.
• Stop vilifying me behind my back!
• The media's constant vilifying of the celebrity eventually took its toll on her mental health.

adjective characterized by harsh or bitter criticism

• The critic's vitriolic review of the play was scathing and harsh.
• I can't believe how vitriolic she was towards him during the argument.
• Her vitriolic rant was totally uncalled for.
• The politician's vitriolic speech left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth.

adjective Characterized by or given to harsh, abusive language

• The politician's vituperative remarks towards his opponent were widely criticized.
• I can't believe how vituperative she was during the argument.
• Her vituperative rant was totally uncalled for.
• The vituperative storm of insults left him feeling emotionally battered.

adjective superlative form of 'bad'; of the lowest quality or standard

• The company experienced its worst financial quarter in history.
• That was the worst movie I've ever seen.
• I can't believe she wore those shoes, they're the worst.
• Being stuck in traffic during rush hour is the worst kind of torture.

adjective having no real value or use; of little or no importance

• The counterfeit currency was deemed worthless by the bank teller.
• That old phone is practically worthless now.
• Don't bother with that job, it's totally worthless.
• Her promises turned out to be worthless, just like a broken mirror.

adjective A term used to describe something as disgusting or unpleasant.

• The texture of the food was quite yecchy, I couldn't bring myself to finish it.
• I took one bite of that sandwich and it was so yecchy, I had to throw it away.
• That movie was so yecchy, I wish I hadn't wasted my money on it.
• The thought of going back to that job makes me feel yecchy, like I'm physically repulsed by it.

adjective an offensive slang term used to describe someone or something as unpleasant, annoying, or irritating

• The professor was appalled by the student's use of the term 'asshatty' in their research paper.
• I can't believe you said that, you're being so asshatty right now.
• Stop being such an asshatty jerk, nobody likes that attitude.
• His behavior was so asshatty, it was like he was trying to pick a fight with everyone.

adjective showing scorn or reproach; abusive

• The senator faced opprobrious remarks from his colleagues during the debate.
• She couldn't stand the opprobrious comments made by her classmates.
• The online trolls left opprobrious messages on the celebrity's social media posts.
• The artist's unconventional work received opprobrious reviews from critics.

adjective comparative form of the adjective 'boring', meaning more boring or dull

• The lecture became even boringer as it went on.
• I can't believe how much boringer this movie is compared to the first one.
• This book is getting boringer by the chapter.
• The party started to feel boringer once most of the guests left.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'boringest' is a superlative form of the adjective 'boring', indicating the highest level of boredom.

• The lecture on quantum physics was the boringest presentation I have ever attended.
• That movie was the boringest thing I've ever seen.
• This book is the boringest piece of literature I've come across.
• Sitting through that meeting was like watching paint dry, it was the boringest experience of my life.

adverb used to describe something that is extremely unpleasant or of very poor quality

• The way he treated his employees was abominably cruel.
• She sang abominably at the karaoke bar last night.
• That movie was abominably bad, I want my money back.
• The politician's actions were abominably selfish, putting his own interests above the needs of the people.

adverb in a very bad or severe manner

• The company's sales figures were abysmally low this quarter.
• I did abysmally on that test, I really need to study more.
• His performance in the game was abysmally bad, he needs to practice more.
• The darkness of the cave seemed abysmally deep, like a bottomless pit.

adjective having a sharp or biting taste or smell

adverb in a sharp and harsh manner

• The acridly smell of smoke filled the room, indicating a fire nearby.
• She wrinkled her nose at the acridly taste of the burnt food.
• The room was filled with an acridly stench that made everyone gag.
• His acridly words left a bitter taste in her mouth.