This list includes 68 Adjectives that start with H, from “habitual” to “hysterical”. They often describe traits, feelings, size, or quality, and help in writing, editing, and language learning.
Adjectives that start with H are descriptive words that modify nouns and express qualities, states, or degrees. Many H-adjectives, like “humble” and “hilarious”, trace back to Old English or Latin influences.
Below you’ll find the table with the columns: “Adjective”, “Definition”, “Example sentence”, and “Register”.
Adjective: The headword itself; you can scan this column to find the exact adjective form quickly.
Definition: A concise one-line meaning that helps you understand usage and pick the right word for context.
Example sentence: A short, natural sentence showing how the adjective fits in real speech or writing you might produce.
Register: Notes whether the adjective is formal, informal, colloquial, or archaic, so you use it appropriately.
Adjectives that start with H
| Adjective | Part of speech | Syllables | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| happy | adjective | 2 | She felt happy after the good news. |
| hard | adjective | 1 | This task is hard to finish today. |
| heavy | adjective | 2 | The box is too heavy to lift. |
| hollow | adjective | 2 | The tree had a hollow trunk. |
| helpful | adjective | 2 | That hint was very helpful to me. |
| hopeless | adjective | 2 | She felt hopeless about the exam. |
| humble | adjective | 2 | He gave a humble apology after the mistake. |
| humorous | adjective | 3 | His humorous remark lightened the mood. |
| hungry | adjective | 2 | The children were hungry after practice. |
| hot | adjective | 1 | The soup is still hot. |
| harsh | adjective | 1 | The critic made harsh comments about the film. |
| healthy | adjective | 2 | She follows a healthy diet. |
| historic | adjective | 3 | This was a historic victory for the team. |
| historical | adjective | 4 | Read the historical account of the event. |
| handy | adjective | 2 | Keep that tool handy in case of repairs. |
| hazardous | adjective | 3 | Wear protection in that hazardous area. |
| hesitant | adjective | 3 | He was hesitant to answer immediately. |
| heroic | adjective | 3 | Her heroic act saved the child. |
| honest | adjective | 2 | Be honest when you report the facts. |
| honorable | adjective | 4 | She received an honorable mention for her work. |
| habitual | adjective | 4 | His habitual lateness caused problems. |
| hasty | adjective | 2 | Don’t make a hasty decision now. |
| hazy | adjective | 2 | The memory was hazy after the accident. |
| hairy | adjective | 2 | The hike became hairy near the cliff. |
| harmonic | adjective | 3 | The band produced a harmonic sound. |
| harmonious | adjective | 4 | They reached a harmonious agreement quickly. |
| haphazard | adjective | 3 | The books were stacked in a haphazard pile. |
| handsome | adjective | 2 | He received a handsome reward for honesty. |
| harmful | adjective | 2 | Avoid harmful chemicals in the lab. |
| harmless | adjective | 2 | The puppy is harmless and friendly. |
| hearty | adjective | 2 | They enjoyed a hearty meal together. |
| heartfelt | adjective | 2 | She wrote a heartfelt thank-you note. |
| hefty | adjective | 2 | He carried a hefty stack of books. |
| hellish | adjective | 2 | The traffic made for a hellish commute. |
| hereditary | adjective | 5 | She has a hereditary talent for music. |
| hermetic | adjective | 3 | The container stayed hermetic under pressure. |
| heterogeneous | adjective | 5 | The group was heterogeneous in background. |
| homogeneous | adjective | 4 | The mixture appeared homogeneous throughout. |
| hilarious | adjective | 4 | That movie was absolutely hilarious. |
| hilly | adjective | 2 | They drove through hilly countryside. |
| holistic | adjective | 3 | She takes a holistic approach to health. |
| holy | adjective | 2 | The relic is considered holy by worshippers. |
| homey | adjective | 2 | Her kitchen feels warm and homey. |
| homeless | adjective | 2 | The shelter helps homeless people find support. |
| homely | adjective | 2 | The cottage was small and homely. |
| honorary | adjective | 4 | He received an honorary degree from the university. |
| horrid | adjective | 2 | The idea gave her a horrid feeling. |
| horrible | adjective | 3 | The storm caused horrible damage in the town. |
| horrific | adjective | 3 | They described the accident as horrific. |
| hostile | adjective | 2 | The crowd became hostile during the debate. |
| hospitable | adjective | 4 | The hosts were extremely hospitable all weekend. |
| hotheaded | adjective | 3 | His hotheaded response escalated the argument. |
| huggable | adjective | 3 | The stuffed bear is very huggable. |
| humid | adjective | 2 | It felt humid inside the greenhouse. |
| humane | adjective | 2 | They advocated for more humane treatment of animals. |
| human | adjective | 2 | It’s human to make occasional mistakes. |
| humanitarian | adjective | 6 | They organized a humanitarian relief effort. |
| humdrum | adjective | 2 | The job became humdrum after months. |
| humongous | adjective | 3 | They moved a humongous sofa into the room. |
| hyper | adjective | 2 | The puppy was hyper after its nap. |
| hyperactive | adjective | 4 | The child seemed hyperactive in class. |
| hyperbolic | adjective | 4 | Her description felt hyperbolic and exaggerated. |
| hypercritical | adjective | 5 | He can be hypercritical about small details. |
| hypothetical | adjective | 5 | Consider a hypothetical scenario for the exercise. |
| hypocritical | adjective | 5 | It was hypocritical to preach thrift while overspending. |
| hypoallergenic | adjective | 6 | They chose a hypoallergenic detergent for sensitive skin. |
| hygienic | adjective | 3 | Please keep the kitchen hygienic when cooking. |
| hysterical | adjective | 4 | She became hysterical after hearing the news. |
Descriptions
happy
Cheerful or pleased; neutral register, common.
hard
Difficult or solid; neutral register, common.
heavy
Of great weight; neutral register, common.
hollow
Empty inside; neutral register, common.
helpful
Providing assistance or useful; neutral, common.
hopeless
Without hope; negative, common.
humble
Modest or low in status; neutral/formal.
humorous
Funny or amusing; neutral/colloquial.
hungry
Needing food; common.
hot
Having a high temperature; common.
harsh
Severe or cruel; neutral.
healthy
In good physical condition; neutral/informal.
historic
Important in history; neutral/formal.
historical
Relating to history; formal.
handy
Convenient or useful; colloquial.
hazardous
Dangerous; formal.
hesitant
Slow to act; neutral.
heroic
Brave and noble; neutral/formal.
honest
Truthful; moral/neutral.
honorable
Worthy of respect; formal.
habitual
Done regularly; neutral/formal.
hasty
Rushed or premature; neutral.
hazy
Unclear or misty; neutral.
hairy
Covered in hair; colloquial also meaning risky.
harmonic
Relating to harmony; technical/musical.
harmonious
Friendly and balanced; formal.
haphazard
Random and disorganized; colloquial.
handsome
Attractive or generous; neutral/formal.
harmful
Causing harm; formal.
harmless
Not causing harm; common.
hearty
Warm, vigorous, or sincere; colloquial.
heartfelt
Sincere and deeply felt; formal/colloquial.
hefty
Large and heavy; colloquial.
hellish
Extremely unpleasant; colloquial.
hereditary
Passed down genetically; formal.
hermetic
Sealed completely; formal/technical.
heterogeneous
Diverse in composition; formal/technical.
homogeneous
Uniform in composition; formal/technical.
hilarious
Extremely funny; colloquial.
hilly
Having hills; neutral.
holistic
Considering the whole system; formal/alternative medicine.
holy
Religious or sacred; formal.
homey
Cozy and comfortable; colloquial.
homeless
Without a home; social/neutral.
homely
Plain or cozy depending on dialect; neutral/dated.
honorary
Given as an honor; formal.
horrid
Very unpleasant; colloquial/formal.
horrible
Extremely bad; common.
horrific
Causing horror; formal.
hostile
Unfriendly or antagonistic; neutral/formal.
hospitable
Friendly to guests; formal/colloquial.
hotheaded
Quickly angered; informal.
huggable
Pleasingly soft or lovable; colloquial.
humid
Moist or damp; neutral.
humane
Kind and compassionate; formal.
human
Relating to people; neutral.
humanitarian
Concerned with human welfare; formal.
humdrum
Boringly ordinary; colloquial.
humongous
Extremely large; colloquial.
hyper
Overexcited; colloquial.
hyperactive
Excessively active; clinical/colloquial.
hyperbolic
Exaggerated; formal/literary.
hypercritical
Excessively critical; formal.
hypothetical
Supposed for argument’s sake; formal/academic.
hypocritical
Saying one thing and doing another; critical.
hypoallergenic
Unlikely to cause allergies; technical/consumer.
hygienic
Clean and sanitary; formal/neutral.
hysterical
Emotionally uncontrolled or very funny (informal); register note.