160 Adjectives That Start with L

adjectives that start with l

Are you ready to journey through a lush landscape of adjectives starting with the letter L? Sorry, I couldn’t resist a bit of alliteration there.

Choosing the perfect adjective for the perfect sentence is a daunting task, but in this article I’ll be sharing some of the most powerful L adjectives and showing you how you can use them to beef up your writing.

So, whether you’re trying to describe your characters more vividly, supercharge your descriptive sentences, or (like me) you’re just a word nerd who wants to expand their vocabulary, this article is for you.

I’ve broken down a list of 160 adjectives into categories so you can see where it’s best to use them in your writing. I’ve also wrapped up with my top three tips for how to use L adjectives to their greatest effect.

Ready to dive in?

Then let’s get started with all the positive ways you can describe things using adjectives that start with the letter L.

Positive Adjectives Starting with L

Here’s a list of positive adjectives starting with L you can use to describe all the lovely things about your characters:

Laudable: Praiseworthy and commendable
Laudatory: Expressing praise and admiration
Lavish: Luxurious and extravagant
Lean: Efficient and streamlined
Learned: Knowledgeable and scholarly
Legendary: Famous and celebrated
Legitimate: Genuine and lawful
Lenient: Compassionate and forgiving
Liberal: Open-minded and generous
Lighthearted: Cheerful and carefree
Likable: Pleasant and friendly
Literate: Well-read and knowledgeable
Lithe: Graceful and agile
Lively: Energetic and spirited
Lofty: Elevated and noble
Logical: Rational and reasonable
Lovable: Inspiring affection
Loving: Affectionate and caring
Lucent: Bright and shining
Lucid: Clear and intelligible
Lucrative: Profitable and rewarding
Luminous: Radiant and glowing
Lush: Luxuriant and rich
Lustrous: Shiny and glossy
Lusty: Strong and vigorous
Luxuriant: Abundant and rich
Lyrical: Expressive and poetic
Lucky: Fortunate and auspicious
Luminous: Reflecting light
Lyrical: Expressive and poetic

These positive adjectives that start with L can be used to describe various positive attributes of characters, making them more vivid and engaging for your readers.

positive L adjectives

Negative L Adjectives

Here’s a list of negative adjectives starting with L that you can use to describe challenging aspects of your characters:

Lackadaisical: Unenthusiastic and lazy
Lackluster: Dull and uninspired
Lame: Weak and unconvincing
Languid: Slow and listless
Languorous: Lethargic and sluggish
Lascivious: Lewd and lustful
Lazy: Indolent and idle
Leery: Suspicious and wary
Lethal: Deadly and dangerous
Lethargic: Sluggish and inactive
Lewd: Obscene and vulgar
Liable: Responsible and susceptible
Libelous: Defamatory and slanderous
Licentious: Immoral and unrestrained
Lifeless: Dull and unanimated
Lightweight: Insubstantial and trivial
Limited: Restricted and narrow
Listless: Indifferent and lethargic
Loathsome: Hateful and detestable
Lonely: Isolated and desolate
Lopsided: Uneven and unbalanced
Lousy: Awful and poor
Loveless: Unloving and cold
Lugubrious: Mournful and gloomy
Lukewarm: Tepid and unenthusiastic
Lurid: Shocking and sensational
Lurking: Hiding and sneaking
Lustful: Lecherous and prurient
Lying: Dishonest and deceitful
Lyrical: Overly sentimental and emotional

These adjectives can add depth to your characters by highlighting their flaws and challenges, making them more dynamic and relatable.

Neutral Adjectives with L

Here’s a list of neutral adjectives starting with L that you can use to describe various aspects of your characters in a non-biased way:

Labile: Unstable and changeable
Laborious: Requiring effort and time
Laconic: Brief and to the point
Lacustrine: Related to lakes
Languid: Weak and slow
Lateral: Side and related to the side
Latent: Hidden and dormant
Lawful: Conforming to the law
Legal: Lawful and legitimate
Legible: Readable and clear
Leisurely: Relaxed and unhurried
Lethargic: Sluggish and inactive
Liberal: Generous and open-minded
Ligneous: Resembling wood
Linear: Straight and sequential
Lingual: Related to language
Literate: Able to read and write
Lithe: Flexible and supple
Livid: Discolored and bruised
Local: Near and familiar
Lofty: High and elevated
Logical: Reasonable and rational
Lone: Single and solitary
Longevity: Long-lasting and enduring
Lucid: Clear and easy to understand
Luminous: Emitting light and bright
Lunar: Related to the moon
Lyrical: Expressive and poetic

These adjectives provide clear and neutral descriptions you can apply in various contexts to describe characters without imparting a strong positive or negative bias.

Unique Describing Words That Start with L

Here’s a list of unusual adjectives starting with L you can use to add distinctive descriptions to your writing:

Labyrinthine: Complex and maze-like
Lachrymose: Tearful and weepy
Lacustrine: Related to lakes
Lambent: Softly glowing and flickering
Lapidary: Related to stone-cutting or engraving
Lascivious: Lewd and lustful
Latitudinarian: Permissive and broad-minded
Laudatory: Expressing praise and commendation
Lepidopterous: Related to butterflies and moths
Leptosomatic: Slender and delicate
Leucistic: Having reduced pigmentation
Levitative: Tending to rise or float in the air
Ligneous: Woody and resembling wood
Lilliputian: Extremely small and tiny
Limacine: Sluggish and resembling a slug
Liminal: Relating to a transitional stage
Lincolnesque: Resembling Abraham Lincoln
Lissome: Graceful and flexible
Lithic: Pertaining to stone
Lobate: Having lobes
Lugubrious: Mournful and gloomy
Luminiferous: Emitting or producing light
Lurdan: Lazy and sluggish
Lustral: Related to purification or cleansing
Luxuriant: Richly abundant and lush
Lyrate: Shaped like a lyre
Lysogenic: Causing the disintegration of cells
Lyophilic: Having an affinity for water
Lyric: Expressive and poetic

These unusual adjectives can provide distinctive and rich descriptions, adding depth and uniqueness to your characters and settings.

unique L adjectives

Words That Start with L to Describe Someone

Here’s a list of adjectives starting with L you can use to describe someone, making your characters more vivid and engaging:

Ladylike: Polite and refined
Lamentable: Regrettable and unfortunate
Languid: Relaxed and unenergetic
Lanky: Tall and thin
Lavish: Extravagant and luxurious
Lawful: Legal and legitimate
Lazy: Unmotivated and idle
Lecherous: Lustful and lewd
Leery: Suspicious and cautious
Legendary: Famous and iconic
Lethargic: Sluggish and drowsy
Level-headed: Calm and sensible
Lewd: Obscene and indecent
Liberal: Open-minded and generous
Lifeless: Inanimate and dull
Light-hearted: Cheerful and carefree
Likeable: Pleasant and agreeable
Lithe: Agile and graceful
Lively: Energetic and animated
Lofty: Tall and impressive
Logical: Reasonable and rational
Loquacious: Talkative and chatty
Lovable: Endearing and charming
Loyal: Faithful and devoted
Lucid: Clear and understandable
Lucky: Fortunate and blessed
Lugubrious: Mournful and gloomy
Luminous: Radiant and glowing
Lyrical: Expressive and poetic

These adjectives provide a varied selection for describing individuals, enhancing the depth and dimension of your characters.

Professional Descriptive Words That Start with L

Here’s a targeted list of professional adjectives starting with L, which are perfect for describing professional behavior:

Laborious: Hardworking and diligent
Laudable: Praiseworthy and commendable
Leader-like: Authoritative and commanding
Legitimate: Lawful and valid
Level-headed: Calm and sensible
Logical: Reasonable and rational
Loyal: Faithful and dedicated
Lucid: Clear and understandable
Luminous: Bright and inspiring
Lynx-eyed: Keen-sighted and observant

These professional adjectives will help you describe the professional behaviors and traits of your characters, adding depth and specificity to their roles in your narrative.

Tips for Using Adjectives That Begin with L

Here are my top three tips for using adjectives that begin with L to strengthen your prose.

Tip 1: Leverage Layers

When using adjectives that start with L in your writing, try to layer them. By doing this, you’ll add extra depth and complexity to your descriptions.

For instance, you could just describe a character as “luminous,” a fine description on its own. But let’s say you wanted to deepen that description and add a further layer to describe the character. You could say they are “luminous and lively,” painting a more vivid picture of who that person is.

This technique helps you create richness in your narrative and gives readers unexpected descriptions.

Tip 2: Let Context Guide You

Context is always important when it comes to the use of adjectives. Depending on which adjective you use, and in what context, it might have both positive and negative connotations. So, if you’re describing something a character does as “leisurely,” the meaning would change depending on the situation.

If your character was sunning themselves on a tropical beach while sipping cocktails, doing so leisurely would be appropriate, given the situation. If your character is a journalist and the article they’re working on has a tight deadline, then approaching that article in a leisurely fashion would be inappropriate.

Context is king.

Tip 3: Look for Opportunities to Use Alliteration

Alliteration can be a really handy tool, when used sparingly, to create rhythmic and memorable sentences readers adore. Alliterative phrases are pleasing to the ear and can make your prose more engaging.

For example, the phrase “lonely lunar landscape” is lyrical, but it also tells us something about the barren surface of the moon.

By mastering these top tips, you can use L adjectives to their fullest potential and enrich your writing.

And finally, always remember that story comes first. Before worrying about the perfect adjective to use, it’s best to focus on:

Creating engaging characters
Penning an interesting plot
Structuring solid settings

A tool like Fictionary helps you turn your draft into an interesting story readers love. So, with the right adjectives and a strong narrative foundation, your writing can truly shine.