Describing People (basic physical description)
Here’s some useful vocabulary for describing people and talking about physical appearance. Remember that you need to be quite careful when you’re describing people. At the bottom of this page are some tips for being tactful.
Age
If you’re old you might have a pension, so you’re an old age pensioner, or a senior citizen. An old person might be 65 years old and over.
Before you’re old (around 55, for example) you can be middle-aged. If you have children when you’re this age, they can be young adult (20-25 years of age) or teenager. (13-19).
There are other words for younger children. For example, a toddler is around 1-3 years old, while a baby is from 0-12 months old.
Build
People are built in all shapes and sizes. There are those who are fat and overweight. Some people are extremely overweight and are obese. Other people are naturally slim, but others look have absolutely no fat on them and are thin, or skinny.
Other words for describing people and build are:
stocky = small, but well-built
tall
short
lean = with very little fat
wiry = quite thin, but muscular
athletic
well-proportioned.
curvaceous (for a woman) / an hour-glass figure (Like an 1940’s film star!)
fit = healthy / active. To be fit you should take plenty of exercise.
flabby = when your muscles go soft
stocky = small, but well-built
tall
short
lean = with very little fat
wiry = quite thin, but muscular
athletic
well-proportioned.
curvaceous (for a woman) / an hour-glass figure (Like an 1940’s film star!)
fit = healthy / active. To be fit you should take plenty of exercise.
flabby = when your muscles go soft
Colouring
You can describe someone as an English rose if they have fair hair and fair skin. Someone with this complexion doesn’t tan easily and has to be careful in the sun. You can also be blonde, with a fair complexion.
You are born with a colour – white or Caucasian, black or Asian. You can also say person of colour (for example, a woman of colour, or a man of colour) to describe anyone who is not white (but never use the word “coloured”). People whose parents are of different ethnic origin are mixed-race. Southern Europeans are sometimes described as Mediterranean.
Other words for describing skin colour:
freckles = small brown dots on your face and arms from the sun
dark-skinned = a dark complexion which allows you to tan easily
freckles = small brown dots on your face and arms from the sun
dark-skinned = a dark complexion which allows you to tan easily
Face
Faces, like build, vary a lot. Some people have oval faces – their foreheads are much wider than their chins. Other people have heart-shaped, square or round faces.
Here’s some more vocabulary for describing features:
bushy eyebrows = lots of thick hair on your eyebrows
a hooked nose = a prominent nose (but not a wide nose)
high cheekbones = prominent cheekbones
a broad nose = opposite of a narrow nose
a snub nose = a nose which goes up at the end.
even or regular teeth = teeth which are straight
crooked teeth = you need to wear a brace to make them straight
rosy cheeks = red cheeks
dimples = when you get little hollows in your cheeks or next to your mouth when you smile
bushy eyebrows = lots of thick hair on your eyebrows
a hooked nose = a prominent nose (but not a wide nose)
high cheekbones = prominent cheekbones
a broad nose = opposite of a narrow nose
a snub nose = a nose which goes up at the end.
even or regular teeth = teeth which are straight
crooked teeth = you need to wear a brace to make them straight
rosy cheeks = red cheeks
dimples = when you get little hollows in your cheeks or next to your mouth when you smile
Describing hair
long, curly hair
short, straight hair
fine hair = it doesn’t weigh very much, vs thick and heavy hair
wavy = between straight and curly
losing your hair / going bald = when men start to lose their hair
a receding hairline = when you lose your hair from your forehead
a red-head = with red hair
short, straight hair
fine hair = it doesn’t weigh very much, vs thick and heavy hair
wavy = between straight and curly
losing your hair / going bald = when men start to lose their hair
a receding hairline = when you lose your hair from your forehead
a red-head = with red hair
Here are some ways you can describe hair styles:
cut in a bob = a short hair style, where the hair comes down to your chin
a fringe = where it is cut horizontally across her forehead
a shaved head = where your hair is shaved off
a ponytail = where you tie (long) hair behind your head, so it falls down like a horse’s tail
a Mohican = a punk style where your hair is shaved on the sides, but long and spiky in the middle
cut in a bob = a short hair style, where the hair comes down to your chin
a fringe = where it is cut horizontally across her forehead
a shaved head = where your hair is shaved off
a ponytail = where you tie (long) hair behind your head, so it falls down like a horse’s tail
a Mohican = a punk style where your hair is shaved on the sides, but long and spiky in the middle
Being tactful when you’re describing people
People can be sensitive about their body shape or age, so be careful when you’re describing people. In particular, three words that can cause offense are “fat”, “thin” and “old”.
Using “a bit” or “a little” before adjectives can make what you say sound more tactful. For example, “He’s a little heavy” or “She’s a bit overweight” are less direct (and more polite).
Here are some alternatives to fat, thin and old.
Alternatives to “fat”
overweight / heavy / plump / a bit chubby (chubby is especially used for children)
curvy /curvaceous (for women) / statuesque (i.e. tall and well-built)
well-built / a big man (for men)
overweight / heavy / plump / a bit chubby (chubby is especially used for children)
curvy /curvaceous (for women) / statuesque (i.e. tall and well-built)
well-built / a big man (for men)
Alternatives to “thin”
slim = no fat, but not skinny
slender / petite (especially for women)
wiry = without an inch of fat
slim = no fat, but not skinny
slender / petite (especially for women)
wiry = without an inch of fat
Alternatives to “old”
a pensioner / elderly (75+) / a senior citizen
middle-aged (50 +)
a pensioner / elderly (75+) / a senior citizen
middle-aged (50 +)
Describing People Quiz
Choose the correct answer.
1. My grandfather is quite __
аncient ;
2. My mother is 54 years old, so I'd call her __ -aged.
middle ; old
3. Her youngest child is still a __ . He can walk, but he isn't old enough for school, yet.
aby ; toddler
4. She has pale skin and fair hair. She's a typical English __
daisy ; rose
5. My father has quite __ hair.
strong ; thick
6. Do you think that models are too __ ?
lean ;
7. She looks after her skin and she has a beautiful __
сomplexion ;
8. My friend is very __ and healthy because she plays a lot of sport.
fit ; slender
9. She needs to wear a brace because she has __ teeth.
сrooked ;
10. When the baby smiles, she has really sweet __
dimples ; freckles
Advanced Vocabulary: Describing Appearance
As well as “tall”, “short”, “slim” or “old”, there are many other ways for describing appearance in English. Check out these 20+ advanced ways to describe how you look – your general appearance, age, body size and the type of clothes you wear.
Appearance
be the spitting image of someone / be the spit = be identical to someone
“You’re the spitting image of your mother!”
“He’s the spit of his father!”
“You’re the spitting image of your mother!”
“He’s the spit of his father!”
like peas in a pod = be very similar
“The two sisters are like peas in a pod.”
“The two sisters are like peas in a pod.”
like chalk and cheese / bear no resemblance to = not be similar at all
“The twins are like chalk and cheese!”
“He bears no resemblance to his father at all.”
“The twins are like chalk and cheese!”
“He bears no resemblance to his father at all.”
Age
getting on a bit / knocking on a bit = getting old
“My parents are knocking on a bit now, but they’re still healthy and active.”
“My parents are knocking on a bit now, but they’re still healthy and active.”
on the wrong side of … = be older than (a certain age).
“He’s on the wrong side of 40.”
“He’s on the wrong side of 40.”
(You can also be on the right side of a certain age, which means you’re younger than that age.)
be pushing … = be almost (a certain age)
“I know she looks like a teenager, but she’s pushing 30 you know!”
“I know she looks like a teenager, but she’s pushing 30 you know!”
not look your age = appear younger than you are
“She really doesn’t look her age.”
“She really doesn’t look her age.”
(We also say “act your age” to mean that you behave in a way that’s right for your age: “Act your age! You’re at secondary school now – not at infants’ school.”
not look a day over … = look young for your age
“She looks so good for her age. She doesn’t look a day over 60!”
“She looks so good for her age. She doesn’t look a day over 60!”
Beauty
a head-turner = so beautiful / handsome that people turn their heads to look at you
“Both their daughters are head-turners.”
“Both their daughters are head-turners.”
eye-catching = so beautiful / handsome that people notice you immediately
“The woman who works in the shop is so eye-catching.”
“The woman who works in the shop is so eye-catching.”
easy on the eye = nice to look at (this is a little old-fashioned)
“He’s very easy on the eye, isn’t he.”
“He’s very easy on the eye, isn’t he.”
drop-dead gorgeous = very beautiful / handsome
“Her new boyfriend is drop-dead gorgeous.”
“Her new boyfriend is drop-dead gorgeous.”
tall, dark and handsome = a stereotypical description of a handsome man
“So the fortune-teller told me I’d meet a tall, dark and handsome stranger.”
“So the fortune-teller told me I’d meet a tall, dark and handsome stranger.”
the picture of … (health / loveliness) = look exactly like someone who is healthy / lovely, etc
“You’re the picture of loveliness this morning!”
“You’re the picture of loveliness this morning!”
not much to look at = not very attractive
“Her new boyfriend isn’t much to look at, but he’s a seriously nice guy.”
“Her new boyfriend isn’t much to look at, but he’s a seriously nice guy.”
not a pretty sight = unattractive
“I’m not a pretty sight in the morning.”
“I’m not a pretty sight in the morning.”
look like the back end of a bus = very ugly
“Frankly, I look like the back end of a bus before I put my makeup on!”
“Frankly, I look like the back end of a bus before I put my makeup on!”
Body size
a beanpole = very thin (bean poles are poles put in the ground for beans to grow up)
“He was like a beanpole all the way through school.”
“He was like a beanpole all the way through school.”
as thin as a rake = be very thin
“She’s lost a lot of weight and now she’s as thin as a rake.”
“She’s lost a lot of weight and now she’s as thin as a rake.”
to balloon = become fat quickly
“Since she moved to the city, she’s ballooned in weight. She says it’s because she always takes public transport and never walks anywhere.”
“Since she moved to the city, she’s ballooned in weight. She says it’s because she always takes public transport and never walks anywhere.”
a bit on the large side = be a bit overweight
“He’s been a bit on the large side ever since he stopped smoking.”
“He’s been a bit on the large side ever since he stopped smoking.”
Clothes And Style
have good dress sense / have a sense of style = to know what clothes to wear
“His wife has very good dress sense. She always looks great.”
“His wife has very good dress sense. She always looks great.”
be a slave to fashion = follow fashion and buy a lot of clothes
“My children have become slaves to fashion since they started secondary school.”
“My children have become slaves to fashion since they started secondary school.”
be dressed to kill = wear clothes to impress people
“You’re dressed to kill today. Have you got an important meeting?”
“You’re dressed to kill today. Have you got an important meeting?”
look like you’ve been dragged through the hedge backwards = look scruffy and untidy
“You can’t go out like that! You look like you’ve been dragged through the hedge backwards!”
“You can’t go out like that! You look like you’ve been dragged through the hedge backwards!”