This list includes 111 Adjectives that start with C, from “calm” to “cute”. Many entries are common in everyday English, so they help students, writers, and ESL learners find the right descriptor.

Adjectives that start with C are single-word descriptors that begin with the letter C. English has borrowed many such words from Latin and French, giving the list a mix of familiar and formal terms.

Below you’ll find the table with Adjective, Definition, Example, and Register.

Adjective: The word itself in base form; use it to scan and choose the exact descriptor you need.

Definition: A concise one-line meaning that helps you grasp subtle nuance and use the adjective correctly in context.

Example: A short natural sentence showing real usage so you can copy or adapt it for writing or practice.

Register: Notes on formality or dialect that tell you whether the adjective fits casual, formal, or archaic contexts.

Adjectives that start with C

Adjective Register Definition Example Description
calm common Free from agitation or strong emotion She remained calm during the storm From Latin “calmus” via Old French; collocates: sea, voice; antonyms: anxious, agitated; widely used in speech and writing.
capable common Having the ability or qualities needed for something He is capable of finishing the job From Latin capax; common in formal and informal contexts; synonyms: competent; antonym: incapable.
careful common Taking care to avoid harm or mistakes Be careful with that glass vase Frequent in everyday speech; collocates: attention, consideration; antonyms: careless.
careless common Not giving enough attention; negligent A careless driver caused the accident Very common; often contrasts with careful; synonyms: negligent, sloppy.
casual common Relaxed, informal, or unplanned We had a casual conversation over coffee Latin casualis; used for dress, remarks, relationships.
cautious common Avoiding risks or sudden actions Be cautious on icy roads Formality mid-level; collocates: approach, optimism; antonyms: reckless.
certain common Known for sure; definite I am certain about the answer From Latin certus; common in statements of fact; synonyms: sure.
clear common Easy to perceive, understand, or free from obstruction The instructions are clear and simple Extremely common; used visually and figuratively.
clever common Quick to understand or invent things That was a clever solution to the problem Positive praise; collocates: idea, trick; antonyms: dull.
clean common Free from dirt, stains, or impurities Keep the kitchen clean and tidy Very common; collocates: hands, bill, record.
clearheaded common Able to think clearly and sensibly After coffee she felt clearheaded and ready Compound but single word; common; useful in describing thinking.
cliental? uncommon [excluded — not attested as adjective]
clenched? common [participial adjective] He had a clenched jaw from tension From verb “clench”; used to describe tight, tense states; collocates: fists, jaw.
close common Near in space, time, or relationship They live close to the station Wide usage: physical, emotional, results “close call.”
cloudy common Covered with clouds; unclear or vague The sky was cloudy all afternoon Also figurative for unclear ideas; antonyms: clear.
clumsy common Awkward in movement or manner He gave a clumsy apology Used physically and socially; synonyms: awkward.
coarse common Rough in texture or crude in manner The fabric was coarse and uncomfortable Also means vulgar; antonyms: fine, refined.
coherent common Logically consistent and easy to follow Her argument was coherent and persuasive From Latin cohaerere; collocates: narrative, argument.
cold common Low in temperature or emotionally distant The water was icy cold Very common; multiple senses: physical and emotional.
colorful common Having bright colors or lively character The garden was colorful in spring US spelling; “colourful” is British; good for literal and figurative uses.
comfortable common Providing physical ease or free from stress He felt comfortable in the new shoes Very common; collocates: living, silence; antonyms: uncomfortable.
comforting common Providing consolation or reassurance Her words were comforting to the shaken child Present participle adjective; common in emotional contexts.
comic common Relating to comedy; amusing The film had a comic tone throughout Also means of a comic book; Latin comicus.
commanding common Having authority or impressive presence He had a commanding view of the valley Present participle adjective; formal tone; collocates: presence, height.
commercial common Related to business or commerce The product had strong commercial appeal Common in business contexts; collocates: success, break.
common common Occurring often; ordinary or usual This is a common household problem Very common meta-adjective; collocates: sense, knowledge.
comparative common Relating to comparison We used a comparative study design Formal; common in academic contexts; collocates: advantage, analysis.
compatible common Able to exist or work together without conflict These devices are compatible with each other Used for technology and relationships; antonym: incompatible.
compelling common Convincing or holding attention strongly The evidence was compelling and clear Positive praise; collocates: argument, reason.
competent common Having necessary skill or knowledge She is a competent software developer Formal everyday usage; synonyms: capable.
competitive common Relating to competition; ambitious He is very competitive on the field Common in sports/business; collocates: market, salary.
complete common Having all necessary parts; whole The collection is now complete Common; collocates: set, victory; antonyms: incomplete.
complex common Consisting of many connected parts; complicated The issue is complex and requires study Frequently used in technical and everyday contexts.
complicated common Difficult to understand or deal with Their relationship was complicated by distance Derived from verb but standard adjective; common.
complimentary common Expressing praise; given free of charge She received a complimentary ticket to the concert Beware: can mean “free” or “praising”; context matters.
composed common Calm and self-controlled She remained composed under pressure Past participle adjective; formal tone; collocates: demeanor.
comprehensive formal Including most or all elements or aspects We need a comprehensive report by Friday Formal, often in reports or tests; synonyms: thorough.
compulsory formal Required by law or rule; mandatory Attendance is compulsory for all students Formal; common in legal/educational contexts.
concealed common Hidden from view or kept secret The weapon was concealed under his coat Past-participle adjective; common in reporting and fiction.
concerned common Worried or involved in a matter Parents are concerned about school safety Very common; collocates: about; can be formal/informal.
concrete common Real, specific, or measurable; not abstract We need concrete examples for the plan Often contrasts with abstract.
concurrent formal Occurring at the same time The two events were concurrent last week Formal; used in law, computing, schedules.
condensed common Made denser or shorter; concentrated The report was condensed into a summary Past-participle adjective; common in writing contexts.
conditional formal Depending on a condition or requirement Offer is conditional on passing the inspection Formal; frequently in contracts and logic.
confident common Having self-assurance or certainty She felt confident before the interview Very common; collocates: about, confident smile.
confidential formal Meant to be kept secret or private The file is confidential and for managers only Formal; common in business and legal contexts.
confused common Unable to think clearly or understand He looked confused by the instructions Common; collocates: look, seem; synonyms: perplexed.
conscious common Aware of something; awake and responsive She was conscious during the procedure Medical and general senses; antonyms: unconscious.
consecutive formal Following one after another in order They scored three consecutive wins Formal; collocates: days, months, numbers.
conservative common Favoring traditional views or cautious change He holds conservative political views Also used for style and estimate; antonym: liberal.
considerable common Large in amount, size, or degree They made a considerable effort to help Common in writing; collocates: amount, attention.
considerate common Thoughtful of others’ feelings or needs Be considerate when you park near others Socially positive trait; antonym: inconsiderate.
consistent common Always behaving the same or in agreement Her results are consistent over time Common in evaluation contexts; antonym: inconsistent.
conspicuous formal Easily seen or attracting attention The red sign was conspicuous on the wall Formal; collocates: absence, consumption.
constant common Continuing without pause; steady He was in constant pain for days Common; collocates: vigilance, pressure.
constrained formal Restricted or limited Resources were constrained by the budget cuts Formal; often used in academic/business writing.
constructive common Serving to improve; helpful We had a constructive discussion about the plan Positive evaluative adjective; collocates: feedback, criticism.
contemporary common Belonging to the same period; modern Contemporary art often challenges expectations Used in time and style contexts.
contemptuous formal Showing strong dislike or scorn She gave a contemptuous laugh at the idea Strong negative tone; synonyms: disdainful.
content common Satisfied with what one has He is content with his simple life Also noun ‘content’; collocates: oneself; antonym: discontent.
contented common Feeling or showing satisfaction The cat looked contented in the sun Mildly formal; adjective formed from verb “content.”
contentious formal Causing or likely to cause disagreement The issue is contentious in the community Formal; collocates: debate, issue.
continual common Happening repeatedly with short pauses There were continual interruptions during class Slightly different from continuous; collocates: problems.
continuous common Uninterrupted in time or sequence Continuous rain spoiled the picnic Common in technical and everyday use.
contradictory formal Involving a contradiction or opposing statements Their reports are contradictory and confusing Formal; collocates: evidence, statements.
contrary common Opposite in nature or direction It’s contrary to the rules to leave early Used as adjective and preposition; collocates: to.
controversial common Causing public disagreement or debate The plan became highly controversial online Common in media contexts; collocates: issue.
convenient common Suited to one’s comfort or purpose The store’s hours are convenient for shoppers Everyday use; collocates: location, time.
conventional common Following accepted customs or standards She prefers conventional solutions to risky ones Common in contrast with innovative.
conversant formal Knowledgeable about or experienced with something He is conversant in European history Formal; often used with ‘in’ or ‘with’.
conversational common Appropriate to informal spoken exchange The book adopts a conversational tone throughout Common in style descriptions; collocates: tone.
convinced common Fully persuaded or sure about something They are convinced of the project’s value Past-participle adjective; common in opinion contexts.
convincing common Persuasive or believable Her explanation was convincing and clear Positive evaluative adjective; collocates: argument, performance.
cool common Moderately cold; calmly stylish or composed She kept a cool head during negotiations Extremely versatile; informal tones common.
cooperative common Willing to work together for common benefit The team was cooperative throughout the project Common in workplace contexts.
coordinated common Well-organized or matching in activity The dancers moved in coordinated patterns Past-participle adjective; often describes movement or plans.
correct common Free from error; accurate or appropriate Please use the correct form on the form Very common; collocates: answer, pronunciation.
corrupt common Morally degenerate or dishonest The official accepted bribes and was corrupt Political/legal contexts; antonym: honest.
cosy common Comfortable and warm (British spelling) They sat in a cosy corner by the fire British common; US form “cozy.”
costly common Expensive or causing loss That mistake proved costly for the company Used literally and figuratively.
countless common Too many to be counted; innumerable There were countless stars visible that night Figurative hyperbole; collocates: number, examples.
courageous common Showing bravery in the face of danger The firefighters were courageous in the rescue Positive moral praise; synonyms: brave.
courteous formal Polite and respectful The staff remained courteous to all visitors Formal-tone adjective; collocates: behavior, greeting.
cramped common Uncomfortably small or restricted in space The apartment felt cramped with all the furniture Describes spaces and sometimes writing style.
cranky informal Easily annoyed or ill-tempered He was cranky after a poor night’s sleep Informal; collocates: mood, driver.
crass uncommon Lacking sensitivity or refinement; rude That was a crass remark at the dinner Strong negative tone; formal writing sometimes uses it.
craven archaic Cowardly; lacking courage The craven act shocked everyone Archaic or literary; synonym: cowardly.
creative common Using imagination to produce original ideas She offered a creative solution to the problem Very common in arts and business contexts.
credible common Believable; able to be trusted His story sounded credible to the judge Important in evidence and reporting contexts.
critical common Expressing disapproval or crucially important The report made several critical observations Polysemous: critique vs emergency contexts.
crooked common Bent or dishonest; not straight The picture hung crooked on the wall Literal and figurative uses; collocates: smile, deal.
cruel common Deliberately causing pain or suffering The punishment was cruel and unnecessary Strong moral judgment; antonym: kind.
crucial common Extremely important or essential Timing will be crucial for the plan’s success Common in advice and analysis.
crude common Raw, unrefined, or offensively blunt His crude joke offended the audience Multiple senses: oil, remarks, calculations.
cruelty? excluded [noun only — excluded]
crumbling common Breaking into small fragments; declining The old building looked crumbling and unsafe Present-participle adjective; often describes structure or power decline.
crystal uncommon Very clear or transparent; crystal-like The water was crystal clear that morning Often paired as “crystal clear”; descriptive.
cryptic common Mysterious or having hidden meaning She left a cryptic note on the table Common in puzzles and literature.
cultivated formal Educated, refined, or prepared for growth The garden looked cultivated and well-kept Past-participle adjective; formal; collocates: tastes.
cultural common Relating to culture or customs Cultural traditions vary widely between regions Very common in social sciences.
culinary formal Relating to cooking or chefs He enrolled in a culinary school last year Used in food and hospitality contexts.
culpable formal Deserving blame or responsibility The manager was culpable for the oversight Legal/formal register; synonyms: blameworthy.
cumulative formal Increasing by successive additions The cumulative effects were visible after years Common in statistics and studies.
curative uncommon Able to cure disease or problems They sought a curative treatment for the illness Mostly used in medical or promotional contexts.
curious common Eager to learn or unusual and interesting The cat was curious about the new box Neutral positive; collocates: case, fact.
current common Happening now or present-day The current policy is under review Very common; collocates: affairs, events.
cursory formal Done quickly and without thoroughness He gave the report a cursory glance Formal; warns of superficial treatment.
curt common Brief to the point of rudeness His curt reply offended several colleagues Short and sometimes rude tone; synonyms: abrupt.
curvy informal Having a rounded shape or curves She prefers shoes that suit a curvy figure Informal; often used in fashion contexts.
cute common Attractive in a harmless, endearing way The puppy looked cute and playful Informal everyday usage.

Descriptions

calm
capable
careful
careless
casual
cautious
certain
clear
clever
clean
clearheaded
cliental?
clenched?
close
cloudy
clumsy
coarse
coherent
cold
colorful
comfortable
comforting
comic
commanding
commercial
common
comparative
compatible
compelling
competent
competitive
complete
complex
complicated
complimentary
composed
comprehensive
compulsory
concealed
concerned
concrete
concurrent
condensed
conditional
confident
confidential
confused
conscious
consecutive
conservative
considerable
considerate
consistent
conspicuous
constant
constrained
constructive
contemporary
contemptuous
content
contented
contentious
continual
continuous
contradictory
contrary
controversial
convenient
conventional
conversant
conversational
convinced
convincing
cool
cooperative
coordinated
correct
corrupt
cosy
costly
countless
courageous
courteous
cramped
cranky
crass
craven
creative
credible
critical
crooked
cruel
crucial
crude
cruelty?
crumbling
crystal
cryptic
cultivated
cultural
culinary
culpable
cumulative
curative
curious
current
cursory
curt
curvy
cute
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