Adjectives Starting with R

Starting with RA

Starting with RE

Starting with RH

Starting with RI

Starting with RO

Starting with RU

Starting with RW

Interesting Categories for the Adjectives Starting with R

For the Interesting Adjectives category, the descriptive words included are those which can make the text or speech more engaging to the audience. There are also Positive Adjectives and Negative Adjectives lists in this article, which are basically composed of adjectives that convey desirable and undesirable characteristics respectively.

Adjectives that Start with R

Interesting Adjectives

rabid: having or proceeding from an extreme or fanatical support of or belief in something

–          a rabid feminist

rackety: rowdy; noisy and usually not in good condition

–          his rackety old car

raffish: unconventional and slightly disreputable, especially in an attractive manner

–          his raffish air

ravenous: extremely hungry; (of hunger or need) very great; voracious

–          a ravenous appetite


–          the book is full of recondite information


Positive Adjectives to Describe a Person

rational: able to think clearly, sensibly, and logically

–          a rational teacher

reasonable: having sound judgment; fair and sensible

–          no reasonable person could have objected

receptive: willing to consider or accept new suggestions and ideas

–          a receptive audience

reflective: relating to or characterized by deep thought; thoughtful

–          a quiet, reflective, astute man

responsible: capable of being trusted

–          a responsible young man


Positive Adjectives to Describe an Event

rapid: happening in a short time or at a fast pace

–          the country’s rapid economic rise

realistic: representing familiar things in a way that is accurate or true to life

–          a realistic human drama

recreational: relating to or denoting activity done for enjoyment when one is not working

–      recreational activities

recurrent: occurring often or repeatedly

–          she had a recurrent dream about falling

relaxed: free from tension and anxiety; at ease

–          a relaxed social event


Positive Adjectives to Describe a Place

rangy: having a large, open range

–          the rangy, hard, scruffy frontier

reedy: full of or edged with reeds

–          they swam in the reedy lake

refreshing: welcome or stimulating because new or different

–          the restaurant’s refreshing atmosphere

roomy: having plenty of room; spacious

–          their roomy mansion

rousing: exciting; stirring

–          a rousing place to ski


Negative Adjectives to Describe a Person

ragged: suffering from exhaustion or stress; wearing old and torn clothes

–          he looked a little ragged, a little shadowy beneath the eyes

rambunctious: difficult to control or handle; wildly boisterous

–          a rambunctious child

rash: displaying or proceeding from a lack of careful consideration of the possible consequences of an action

–          her rash assumption

recalcitrant: having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline

–          a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds

reckless:  without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action

–          his reckless driving


Negative Adjectives to Describe an Event

rampant: (especially of something unwelcome or unpleasant) flourishing or spreading unchecked

–          political violence was rampant

raucous: making or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise

–          a raucous street party

regrettable: giving rise to regret; undesirable; unwelcome

–          the loss of this number of jobs is regrettable

relentless: oppressively constant; incessant.

–          the relentless heat of the desert

ruinous: disastrous or destructive.

–          a ruinous effect on the environment


Negative Adjectives to Describe a Place

ratty: shabby, untidy or in bad condition;  infested with rats

–          a ratty cabin

rebellious:  engaged in opposition or armed resistance to an established government or ruler

–          a rebellious city

revolting: causing intense disgust; disgusting

–          a revolting hotel

ridiculous: deserving or inviting derision or mockery; absurd

–      a ridiculous gallery

riotous: marked by or involving public disorder

–          a riotous part of the state


Heroic Adjectives

redemptive: acting to save someone from error or evil

–          his redemptive deed

regal: of, resembling, or fit for a monarch, especially in being magnificent or dignified

–          his regal authority

respectable: regarded by society to be good, proper, or correct

–          a respectable knight

reverent: feeling or showing deep and solemn respect

–          a reverent soldier

righteous:  morally right or justifiable; virtuous.

–          he is a good, righteous man


Sporty Adjectives

rare: unusually good or remarkable

–          he plays with rare strength and sensitivity

rawboned: having a bony or gaunt physique

–          a rawboned gymnast

remarkable: worthy of attention; striking

–          a remarkable team captain

renowned: known or talked about by many people; famous

–      a renowned football player

reputable: having a good reputation

–      a reputable basketball team

robust: strong and healthy; vigorous

–      a robust professional wrestler


Romantic Adjectives

racy: lively, entertaining, and typically mildly titillating sexually

–          is a racy Latina

radiant:  clearly emanating great joy, love, or health

–          she gave him a radiant smile

rakish: smart; jaunty; dashing

–          he had a rakish, debonair look

reliable: consistently good in quality or performance; able to be trusted

–          a reliable partner

rosy: (especially of a person’s skin) colored like a pink or red rose, typically as an indication of health, youth, or embarrassment

–          her rosy cheeks

romantic: inclined toward or suggestive of the feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.

–          a romantic candlelit dinner


Shortest Adjectives

raw: not processed or subjected to analysis

–          raw data

red: characterized by violence or bloodshed

–          red deeds

rum: beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

–          a rum accent

racy: suggestive of sexual impropriety

–          a racy movie

rank: growing profusely

–          rank jungle vegetation

rapt: feeling great rapture or delight

–          she shut her eyes and seemed rapt with desire

rare: not widely distributed

–          rare herbs

rash: marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences

–          rash hijacker

real: capable of being treated as fact

–          real evidence

rear: located in or toward the back or rear

–          the chair’s rear legs


Longest Adjectives

representational: (used especially of art) depicting objects, figures,or scenes as seen

–          representational images

roentgenographic: relating to or produced by roentgenography

–          roentgenographic examination

radiotelephonic: relating to or by means of radiotelephony

–          aradiotelephonic process

radiosensitive: sensitive to radiation

–          radiosensitive cancer cells can be treated with radiotherapy

reconstructive: helping to restore to good condition

–          reconstructive surgery

rehabilitative: tending to reform

–          reformative and rehabilitative agencies

rembrandtesque: in the manner of Rembrandt

–          rembrandtesque self-portrait


–          representative government as defined by Abraham Lincoln is government of the people

ratiocinative: based on exact thinking

–          one’s ratiocinative powers

rationalistic: of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of rationalism

a rationalistic theory

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