Updated on December 28, 2024
by PushtoLearn
Test your English

Adjectives That Start with B

Adjectives starting with "B" can describe positive traits like "brilliant," negative qualities like "bitter," or neutral characteristics like "basic."

List of Positive Adjectives That Start With B

Adjective

Definition

Example

Balanced

In a state of harmony or proportion.

Her argument was well-reasoned and balanced.

Beaming

Radiating happiness or positivity.

He had a beaming smile after receiving the award.

Beatific

Blissfully happy or serene.

Her beatific expression conveyed pure joy.

Beautiful

Pleasing to the senses or mind.

The garden looked absolutely beautiful.

Beguiling

Charming or enchanting in a deceptive way.

The beguiling sunset captivated everyone.

Believable

Capable of being believed or credible.

Her explanation seemed entirely believable.

Beloved

Dearly loved or cherished.

She was the most beloved teacher in the school.

Benefic

Resulting in good; beneficial.

His benefic actions helped the community grow.

Benevolent

Well-meaning and kind.

The benevolent leader cared deeply for her people.

Benign

Gentle, kind, or harmless.

The dog had a benign disposition and loved everyone.

Best

Of the highest quality or standard.

She gave her best effort in the competition.

Better

Of superior quality or excellence.

This is a much better plan than the previous one.

Big-hearted

Generous and kind.

His big-hearted gestures made him well-loved.

Blessed

Fortunate, blissful, or having divine favor.

They felt blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Blissful

Full of happiness and joy.

They enjoyed a blissful afternoon by the lake.

Blithe

Cheerful and carefree.

Her blithe attitude brought laughter to the group.

Bodacious

Bold, remarkable, or impressive.

She made a bodacious decision to pursue her dream.

Bold

Showing courage or confidence.

He made a bold move to stand up for his beliefs.

Boundless

Unlimited or immense.

She has a boundless enthusiasm for learning.

Breezy

Lighthearted, cheerful, or casual.

His breezy demeanor made everyone feel comfortable.

Bracing

Refreshing or invigorating.

The bracing air of the mountains revived her spirits.

Brave

Showing courage and fearlessness.

The firefighter’s brave actions saved lives.

Brilliant

Exceptionally clever or talented.

Her brilliant idea transformed the entire project.

Brisk

Energetic, lively, or quick.

They took a brisk walk in the cool morning air.

Brotherly

Showing affection and loyalty, like a brother.

He gave her a brotherly pat on the shoulder.

Bustling

Full of energy and activity.

The bustling market was alive with sights and sounds.

Buoyant

Cheerful, optimistic, or able to float.

Her buoyant personality lifted everyone's mood.

List of Negative Adjectives That Start With B

Adjective

Definition

Example

Backhanded

Insincere or ambiguous in meaning.

He gave a backhanded compliment that felt more like an insult.

Bad

Poor in quality or behavior.

She made a bad decision by ignoring the warning signs.

Baffling

Confusing or perplexing.

The instructions were so baffling that no one understood them.

Baleful

Threatening harm or menacing.

The villain gave a baleful glare at the hero.

Balky

Stubborn or unwilling to cooperate.

The balky horse refused to move forward.

Banal

Lacking originality or freshness.

His speech was filled with banal clichés.

Baneful

Destructive or harmful.

The policy had a baneful effect on the local economy.

Baseless

Without foundation or reason.

Her accusations were completely baseless.

Bedridden

Confined to bed due to illness or weakness.

The patient was bedridden for weeks after surgery.

Bellicose

Warlike or eager to fight.

The leader's bellicose rhetoric heightened tensions.

Belligerent

Hostile and aggressive.

His belligerent attitude made negotiations impossible.

Bereaved

Suffering the loss of a loved one.

The bereaved family struggled to cope with their loss.

Bewildered

Confused and unsure.

She looked bewildered when asked the unexpected question.

Bitter

Resentful or harsh in tone.

He had a bitter attitude after being passed over for promotion.

Blasé

Indifferent or unimpressed due to overexposure.

She acted blasé about the extravagant party.

Bleak

Lacking hope or cheer.

The future seemed bleak after the company’s bankruptcy.

Blurry

Lacking clarity or focus.

The photograph was too blurry to make out any details.

Boring

Uninteresting or dull.

The lecture was so boring that half the audience fell asleep.

Boastful

Bragging or showing excessive pride.

His boastful remarks annoyed everyone at the meeting.

Bogus

Fake or not genuine.

The signature on the document turned out to be bogus.

Bossy

Overly controlling or domineering.

Her bossy nature made it difficult to work with her.

Brackish

Unpleasantly salty or distasteful.

The water was too brackish to drink.

Brash

Overly bold or reckless.

His brash comments offended many people.

Brazen

Bold and without shame.

She made a brazen attempt to defy the rules.

Bumbling

Clumsy or inept.

His bumbling attempt to fix the leak made the situation worse.

Illustration of Adjectives That Start with B

List of Neutral Adjectives That Start With B

Adjective

Definition

Example

Babbling

Making continuous, incoherent sounds.

The brook was babbling softly as it flowed.

Bacterial

Relating to or caused by bacteria.

The lab examined the bacterial growth on the sample.

Bald

Lacking hair or covering.

The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States.

Balmy

Pleasantly warm or mild.

They enjoyed the balmy weather on their vacation.

Bashful

Reluctant to draw attention; shy.

The child gave a bashful smile when praised.

Beefy

Having a large, muscular build.

The bodybuilder had a beefy physique.

Befitting

Appropriate or suitable for a situation.

His calm demeanor was befitting for the occasion.

Bibulous

Fond of drinking alcohol or absorbent.

The guests were in a bibulous mood at the party.

Bicameral

Having two legislative chambers.

The country has a bicameral parliamentary system.

Blaring

Making a loud, harsh noise.

The car horn was blaring in the traffic jam.

Blonde

Having yellowish or light-colored hair.

Her blonde hair shone in the sunlight.

Blue

Relating to the color blue or a sad emotion.

The sky was a vivid blue on a clear summer day.

Blushing

Turning red from embarrassment or shyness.

She was blushing after receiving the unexpected compliment.

Boisterous

Noisy, energetic, and cheerful.

The boisterous crowd cheered loudly for the team.

Bookish

Devoted to reading and studying.

His bookish nature made him a library regular.

Bovine

Relating to or resembling cattle.

Her calm and deliberate manner seemed almost bovine.

Boyish

Having characteristics of a boy.

He had a boyish charm that made him endearing.

Brief

Short in duration or extent.

She gave a brief summary of the report.

Brittle

Hard but likely to break or snap.

The candy was delicious but very brittle.

Bulky

Large and difficult to handle.

The package was too bulky to fit in the mailbox.

Bumpy

Having an uneven or rough surface.

The car ride was bumpy on the old dirt road.

Bushy

Thick or covered with bushes or hair.

His bushy eyebrows gave him a distinctive look.

Buxom

Plump, full-figured, or curvaceous.

The painting depicted a buxom figure in vibrant colors.

Buzzing

Making a low, continuous humming sound.

The bees were buzzing around the flower garden.

List of Adjectives That Start With B To Describe a Person

Adjective

Definition

Example

Befuddled

Confused or unable to think clearly.

He looked befuddled after hearing the unexpected news.

Bewitching

Enchanting or captivating in a magical way.

Her bewitching smile charmed everyone in the room.

Bleary-eyed

Having unfocused or tired eyes.

He came to work bleary-eyed after staying up all night.

Blunt

Straightforward and often insensitive.

She’s known for her blunt honesty, which can be off-putting.

Bohemian

Unconventional or artistic in lifestyle.

Her bohemian style reflected her creative personality.

Broadminded

Tolerant and open to different opinions.

He is very broadminded and welcomes diverse perspectives.

Brokenhearted

Overcome with grief or sorrow.

She was brokenhearted after the end of her relationship.

Bubbly

Cheerful, lively, and full of energy.

Her bubbly personality makes her the life of the party.

Budding

Beginning to develop or show potential.

The teacher encouraged the budding artist in her class.

Buff

Having a strong, muscular build.

He’s been hitting the gym and looks really buff these days.

1. Describing Personality Traits

  • Positive: Brave, Benevolent, Buoyant.

  • Negative: Bitter, Boastful, Brash.

  • Neutral: Balanced, Basic, Brief.

2. Describing Appearance

  • Positive: Beautiful, Bright, Bold.

  • Negative: Bleak, Boring, Bumbling.

  • Neutral: Big, Blue, Broad.

3. Emotions and Feelings

  • Positive: Blissful, Buoyant, Balanced.

  • Negative: Bitter, Bleak, Blunt.

  • Neutral: Busy, Brief, Bureaucratic.

4. Situational Contexts

  • Positive: Bountiful, Benevolent, Brave.

  • Negative: Burdensome, Backhanded, Boring.

  • Neutral: Available, Balanced, Basic.

Everyday Use of Adjectives Starting With B

  1. Positive: "Her bright ideas improved the team’s strategy."

  2. Negative: "His bitter attitude ruined the mood."

  3. Neutral: "The basic instructions were easy to follow."

  4. Descriptive: "The blue sky stretched endlessly above."

  5. Situational: "The bureaucratic process delayed the project’s approval."

Common Mistakes

1. Misusing “Brave” for Recklessness

  • Mistake: "He was brave to ignore safety protocols."

  • Correction: "He was reckless to ignore safety protocols."

2. Overusing “Beautiful” in Formal Contexts

  • Mistake: "The solution to the problem was beautiful."

  • Correction: "The solution to the problem was elegant."

3. Mixing “Bold” with “Brash”

  • Mistake: "Her brash speech inspired the team."

  • Correction: "Her bold speech inspired the team."

4. Confusing “Bitter” with “Sour” in Emotions

  • Mistake: "He felt sour after the argument."

  • Correction: "He felt bitter after the argument."

5. Using “Balanced” for Uneven Situations

  • Mistake: "Her opinion was balanced despite its bias."

  • Correction: "Her opinion was biased, not balanced."

FAQ

Can “Bright” be used to describe non-visual traits?

Yes, it can describe intelligence or a positive future.
Example: "He is a bright student with a promising career."

What’s the difference between “Benevolent” and “Kind”?

Benevolent often implies actions done for the benefit of others, while kind describes a general disposition.

Is “Blunt” always negative?

Not always. While it can mean tactless, it can also describe honesty.

Can “Bureaucratic” have a positive connotation?

Rarely, but it can if it means well-organized or methodical in certain contexts.

What’s the difference between “Boring” and “Monotonous”?

Boring describes something uninteresting, while monotonous implies repetitive and lacking variety.

Follow us
Free grammar and vocabulary exercises, ESL worksheets, lesson plans, tests and tools for students and teachers
@ 2025 PushtoLearn