This list includes 95 Adjectives that start with G, from “gaelic” to “guttural”. You’ll find everyday descriptors, literary and regional terms, and a few rare words useful for writing and teaching.
Adjectives that start with G are single-word modifiers that describe people, places, things, or ideas. Some reflect cultural roots, such as “gaelic”, which connects directly to Celtic language and heritage.
Below you’ll find the table with Adjective, Definition, Example sentence, and Register.
Adjective: The word itself, listed in base form so you can find and use the precise adjective quickly.
Definition: A concise one-line meaning that helps you understand each adjective at a glance and choose correctly.
Example sentence: A short, natural sentence showing common usage, so you see how the adjective fits in context.
Register: A brief label (formal, colloquial, archaic) that tells you the adjective’s usual tone or usage.
Adjectives that start with G
| Word | Syllables | Definition | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| good | 1 | Having desirable or positive qualities. | She did a good job on the report. |
| great | 1 | Very large in degree or excellent. | You did a great job today. |
| grand | 1 | Impressive in size or style; splendid. | They stayed at a grand hotel downtown. |
| grave | 1 | Serious or solemn in manner or tone. | His expression became grave and thoughtful. |
| gray | 1 | Of a neutral color between black and white. | The sky looked gray before the storm. |
| grey | 1 | Of a neutral color between black and white. | He wore a grey sweater to work. |
| green | 1 | Color of growing plants; inexperienced or environmentally friendly. | She wore a green dress to the party. |
| gregarious | 4 | Fond of company; sociable. | Mark is gregarious and makes friends easily. |
| gentle | 2 | Mild in temperament or action; not harsh. | Be gentle with the fragile vase. |
| genuine | 3 | Real, authentic, or sincere. | Her apology sounded genuine and heartfelt. |
| generous | 3 | Willing to give or share; abundant. | She made a generous donation to the charity. |
| greedy | 2 | Having an excessive desire for more. | The greedy puppy ate all the treats. |
| grim | 1 | Stern, unrelenting, or bleak. | The forecast looked grim for the hikers. |
| grimy | 2 | Covered with dirt; very dirty. | His hands were grimy after working outside. |
| gritty | 2 | Showing courage and resolve; coarse in texture. | Her gritty determination won the race. |
| gloomy | 2 | Dark, depressing, or pessimistic. | The room felt gloomy without sunlight. |
| glossy | 2 | Shiny, smooth surface reflecting light. | The magazine had glossy pages throughout. |
| gleaming | 2 | Shining brightly with reflected light. | The gleaming car attracted many admirers. |
| gleeful | 2 | Full of joyful delight or amusement. | The children were gleeful at the surprise. |
| glib | 1 | Marked by superficial ease or insincerity. | His glib reply didn’t answer the question. |
| glorious | 3 | Having great beauty or splendor. | They enjoyed a glorious sunset on the beach. |
| gaunt | 1 | Very thin, especially from hunger or illness. | After weeks of illness, he looked gaunt. |
| gauche | 1 | Lacking social grace; awkward. | His comment came off as gauche and clumsy. |
| gaudy | 2 | Excessively showy or tastelessly bright. | She wore gaudy jewelry to the ceremony. |
| garish | 2 | Excessively bright or showy in bad taste. | The neon signs were garish at night. |
| gallant | 2 | Brave, chivalrous, or attentive to women. | He made a gallant effort to help. |
| garrulous | 3 | Excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters. | The garrulous neighbor told long stories. |
| generic | 3 | Not specific; characteristic of a group rather than individual. | The sauce had a generic tomato flavor. |
| general | 3 | Common to most members or overall rather than specific. | In general, the class passed the test. |
| genial | 3 | Warmly and pleasantly cheerful; friendly. | Her genial manner put everyone at ease. |
| germane | 2 | Relevant and appropriate to the matter. | His comment was germane to the discussion. |
| gigantic | 3 | Extremely large in size or degree. | They found a gigantic wave near the shore. |
| giant | 2 | Exceptionally large in size or scale. | The statue was a giant landmark downtown. |
| glamorous | 3 | Charming in an alluring, sophisticated way. | She looked glamorous at the awards ceremony. |
| glacial | 2 | Extremely cold or very slow in movement. | Negotiations proceeded at a glacial pace. |
| glutinous | 3 | Sticky and glue-like in texture. | The dumpling had a pleasantly glutinous texture. |
| glabrous | 2 | Smooth; lacking hair (botanical term). | The plant’s stem was glabrous and shiny. |
| global | 2 | Relating to the whole world; comprehensive. | They held a global conference on climate change. |
| glottal | 2 | Relating to the glottis or vocal cords. | The linguist described a glottal stop sound. |
| golden | 2 | Having the color or shine of gold; excellent. | This was a golden opportunity for her career. |
| goodly | 2 | Fairly large in amount or size (archaic/informal). | They received a goodly sum for the painting. |
| goofy | 2 | Silly or foolish in a playful way. | He made a goofy face to make us laugh. |
| gory | 2 | Involving or showing blood and violence. | The movie was too gory for young viewers. |
| gothic | 2 | Relating to a medieval style or dark romance. | They admired the building’s gothic architecture. |
| gourmet | 2 | Relating to fine food and drink. | She prepared a gourmet meal for guests. |
| gracious | 2 | Courteous, kind, and pleasant. | She was gracious in victory and defeat. |
| graceful | 2 | Having elegance or smooth pleasing movement. | The dancer moved in a graceful arc. |
| grateful | 2 | Feeling or showing thanks. | I’m grateful for all your help today. |
| gradual | 3 | Happening slowly over time. | There was a gradual improvement in her health. |
| grainy | 2 | Having visible texture like grains or film noise. | The photograph looked grainy in low light. |
| granular | 3 | Composed of small grains or detailed parts. | We need a granular breakdown of the expenses. |
| grandiose | 3 | Impressively grand but often impractically ambitious. | His grandiose plan lacked realistic details. |
| grammatical | 4 | Conforming to the rules of grammar. | Your sentence is grammatical but awkwardly phrased. |
| graphic | 2 | Relating to visual art or vividly described images. | The report included graphic images of the accident. |
| grayish | 2 | Somewhat gray in color. | The sky looked grayish before the storm. |
| greenish | 2 | Somewhat green in color. | The paint had a greenish tint to it. |
| greasy | 2 | Covered with or resembling grease; oily. | The pan remained greasy after cooking. |
| gratuitous | 4 | Unnecessary or uncalled for; given free. | The film included gratuitous violence. |
| gullible | 3 | Easily deceived or tricked. | Tourists were gullible to overpriced sales pitches. |
| guileless | 2 | Without deceit; innocent and straightforward. | His guileless honesty surprised his colleagues. |
| guileful | 2 | Cunning or deceitful in a clever way. | The guileful negotiator secured a better deal. |
| guilty | 2 | Responsible for wrongdoing or feeling remorse. | She felt guilty about missing the meeting. |
| gusty | 2 | Characterized by sudden strong bursts of wind. | It was a gusty afternoon on the coast. |
| gustatory | 3 | Relating to the sense of taste. | The critic discussed the meal’s gustatory qualities. |
| guttural | 3 | Harsh-sounding, produced at the throat. | He made a guttural noise of disapproval. |
| gargantuan | 4 | Extremely large; enormous. | They faced a gargantuan pile of paperwork. |
| gastric | 2 | Relating to the stomach. | The patient reported gastric pain after eating. |
| gaseous | 2 | In the form of gas; vaporous. | The chemical released a gaseous cloud. |
| gassy | 2 | Containing or producing gas; windy. | The stew was gassy and upset his stomach. |
| gelatinous | 4 | Having a jelly-like, sticky consistency. | The sauce became gelatinous when cooled. |
| gelid | 2 | Extremely cold; icy (archaic/literary). | A gelid wind swept across the plain. |
| gemlike | 2 | Resembling a gem; sparkly and precious. | The dew made the spiderweb look gemlike. |
| giddy | 2 | Lightheaded, dizzy, or frivolously excited. | She felt giddy with the good news. |
| ghastly | 2 | Shockingly dreadful or frightening. | The accident scene looked ghastly at dawn. |
| ghoulish | 2 | Morbidly interested in the macabre or gruesome. | He had a ghoulish fascination with ghost stories. |
| glassy | 2 | Like glass in transparency or shine. | Her eyes had a glassy expression after the news. |
| glad | 1 | Pleased or happy about something. | I’m glad you could join us today. |
| glossless | 2 | Lacking a shiny surface; matte. | The photograph was printed with a glossless finish. |
| glorious | 3 | Already listed (duplicate) | This row should not appear. |
| gruesome | 2 | Causing horror or disgust. | They described the gruesome crime scene. |
| groovy | 2 | Stylish or excellent; from 1960s slang. | That band plays a groovy retro sound. |
| grotesque | 2 | Odd or distorted in a shocking way. | The sculpture had a grotesque, surreal appearance. |
| gossamer | 3 | Very light, delicate, or thin. | She wore a gossamer scarf in the breeze. |
| gaelic | 2 | Relating to Gaelic language or culture. | The festival featured Gaelic songs and dances. |
| gay | 1 | Happy; also describes sexual orientation. | They felt gay and carefree that afternoon. |
| geographic | 4 | Relating to physical features or location. | They studied the region’s geographic boundaries. |
| geological | 4 | Relating to Earth’s physical structure and history. | Geological surveys reveal rock formations. |
| geometric | 4 | Relating to geometry or simple shapes. | The garden featured geometric flower beds. |
| geodesic | 4 | Relating to the shortest path on a curved surface. | The dome used geodesic structural patterns. |
| genetic | 3 | Relating to genes or heredity. | They studied the genetic basis of the trait. |
| geriatric | 4 | Relating to old age or elderly care. | The clinic specializes in geriatric medicine. |
| governmental | 4 | Relating to government or its operations. | They discussed governmental regulations on trade. |
| gradual | 3 | Already listed (duplicate) | This row should not appear. |
| grammatical | 4 | Already listed (duplicate) | This row should not appear. |
| granular | 3 | Already listed (duplicate) | This row should not appear. |
Descriptions
good
Very common; basic positive adjective (neutral, high frequency).
great
Extremely common; expressive for size, quality, or enthusiasm (informal/formal).
grand
Used for formality, scale, or ambition (formal).
grave
Common; often used in serious contexts (formal).
gray
Common U.S. spelling; neutral register.
grey
Common UK spelling variant of gray (neutral register).
green
Very common; also metaphorical (inexperienced, eco-friendly).
gregarious
Formal-to-neutral; useful for personality descriptions (moderate frequency).
gentle
Common; polite, soft tone (neutral).
genuine
Common; emphasizes authenticity (neutral).
generous
Common; positive trait (formal/neutral).
greedy
Common; negative moral judgment (informal/neutral).
grim
Common; used for serious or bleak situations (neutral).
grimy
Common; informal descriptive.
gritty
Common; also literal texture (neutral).
gloomy
Common; often mood-related (neutral).
glossy
Common; often for surfaces or finish (neutral).
gleaming
Common; vivid visual adjective (neutral).
gleeful
Friendly, informal tone.
glib
Common; negative nuance about speech (neutral/informal).
glorious
Formal-to-neutral; positive, often dramatic.
gaunt
Common; visual description (neutral).
gauche
Formal/borrowed from French; slightly literary.
gaudy
Common; negative about style (informal).
garish
Negative aesthetic judgment (neutral).
gallant
Somewhat formal; literary or historical tone.
garrulous
Formal/neutral; slightly pejorative.
generic
Common; neutral, used in product/language contexts.
general
Very common; broad, neutral use.
genial
Polite/formal; pleasant personality descriptor.
germane
Formal; useful in academic or professional writing.
gigantic
Common; stronger than large (neutral).
giant
Common; used literally and metaphorically.
glamorous
Fashionable, positive; often used in lifestyle contexts.
glacial
Formal/figurative and literal uses.
glutinous
Technical/culinary; descriptive.
glabrous
Technical/biological; low frequency (technical).
global
Common; formal/neutral.
glottal
Technical linguistic term (technical).
golden
Common; figurative and literal uses.
goodly
Archaic or literary tone; sometimes informal.
goofy
Informal; friendly slang.
gory
Common; used for violent scenes.
gothic
Used in art/literature contexts (neutral).
gourmet
Used as noun/adjective; culinary contexts.
gracious
Polite/formal; positive social quality.
graceful
Common; used for movement or style.
grateful
Very common; polite and positive (neutral).
gradual
Common; neutral, often scientific/clinical.
grainy
Common; photo or texture description.
granular
Literal and figurative (technical/neutral).
grandiose
Often negative about exaggerated plans (formal).
grammatical
Technical/educational; neutral.
graphic
Neutral; can mean explicit (warning contexts).
grayish
Common derivative; informal descriptive.
greenish
Common derivative; neutral descriptive.
greasy
Common; literal and figurative.
gratuitous
Formal; often critical usage.
gullible
Common; cautionary descriptor.
guileless
Formal/neutral; positive about sincerity.
guileful
Less common; negative nuance (formal).
guilty
Very common; legal and emotional uses.
gusty
Weather description; neutral.
gustatory
Technical/culinary; formal.
guttural
Descriptive of sounds; neutral/technical.
gargantuan
Informal/formal; emphatic large-scale adjective.
gastric
Medical/technical adjective.
gaseous
Scientific/technical; neutral.
gassy
Informal; digestive contexts.
gelatinous
Culinary/technical descriptor.
gelid
Rare, literary; archaic register.
gemlike
Poetic/literary tone.
giddy
Common; playful or medical contexts.
ghastly
Strong negative; literary/formal.
ghoulish
Informal/literary; negative tone.
glassy
Descriptive; literal and figurative.
glad
Common; simple positive emotion.
glossless
Technical/print contexts (less common).
glorious
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gruesome
Strong negative; used in reporting or fiction.
groovy
Informal/colloquial; dated but still used playfully.
grotesque
Artistic/literary descriptor (neutral).
gossamer
Poetic; slightly literary.
gaelic
Cultural/linguistic adjective (neutral).
gay
Common; tone and meaning depend on context (neutral/informal).
geographic
Academic/technical (neutral).
geological
Scientific/technical; formal.
geometric
Formal/technical; design contexts.
geodesic
Technical, often architectural/ mathematical.
genetic
Scientific/medical adjective.
geriatric
Medical/technical; formal.
governmental
Formal; policy and civic contexts.
gradual
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grammatical
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granular
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