The humble “H” is an often forgotten but always important letter. Sometimes it’s quiet and honest. Sometimes it’s loud and heavy. Adjectives help to describe all the people, places, and things around you, adding extra character and color to your world. However you handle it, it’s always handy to have the perfect adjective that starts with “H” to describe your happy friends, the hot weather, or a horrible case of the Mondays.
Positive Adjectives Starting With “H”
The letter “H” offers up a whole host of positive adjectives for those halcyon days, healthy appetites, and happy people you love.
Adjective | Definition | Synonyms |
halcyon | peaceful or restful, especially of weather | calm, idyllic, soothing |
hale | free of disease or injury; strong and healthy | robust, flourishing, vigorous |
hallowed | considered holy or sacred | blessed, consecrated, sacrosanct |
handsome | attractive and imposing in appearance | good-looking, beautiful, stylish |
handy | capable or skilled at a given task | able, dexterous, skillful |
happy | in high spirits; satisfied | cheerful, delighted, glad |
happy-go-lucky | happily unworried and unconcerned | carefree, easygoing, untroubled |
hardy | able to withstand difficult conditions | robust, tough, stout |
harmless | not possessing the desire or ability to do harm | innocuous, innocent, inoffensive |
harmonious | free from disagreement, dissent, or discord | agreeable, amicable, congenial |
healthy | having good health; possessing wellness | hale, hearty, sound |
heartening | encouraging or causing cheer | reassuring, promising, supportive |
heavenly | having to do with paradise; something pleasant or joyful | celestial, divine, lovely |
helpful | something beneficial, characterized by improving a situation | advantageous, constructive, supportive |
high-quality | having good characteristics, desirable | excellent, impressive, valuable |
hilarious | characterized by being funny, causing laughter | comical, humorous, jocular |
holy | something considered sacred by one or more religions | blessed, hallowed, revered |
homey | inviting and comfortable; having a feeling like home | comfy, homelike, hospitable |
honest | speaking truthfully, being sincere | candid, forthright, frank |
honest-to-goodness | genuine or real | actual, authentic, legitimate |
honorable | characterized by honesty and integrity | reputable, honest, respectable |
hospitable | being warm or generous to strangers or guests | friendly, neighborly, congenial |
humanitarian | concerned with promoting human welfare | altruistic, philanthropic, humane |
humble | not arrogant or overconfident, meek | lowly, respectful, self-effacing |
hygienic | conducive to good health | sanitary, clean, healthful |
Negative Adjectives That Start With “H”
There are plenty of times when you’re just feeling horrible, hapless, or haggard. The negative vibes can get to anyone, but sometimes you need the right “H” adjective to describe heartbreaking moments, heinous memories, or hateful actions.
Adjective | Definition | Synonyms |
hackneyed | something overused or trite | cliche, overdone, stale |
haggard | looking exhausted, gaunt, or worn out in appearance | weakened, emaciated, fatigued |
haphazard | lacking any sense of organization | disorganized, unplanned, unsystematic |
hapless | unfortunate | unlucky, cursed, ill-fated |
hard | something firm in texture; demanding, difficult, or unforgiving | arduous, laborious, onerous |
hard-handed | stern or cruel | oppressive, tyrannical, ruthless |
hard-headed | not easily moved; stubborn | headstrong, obstinate, inflexible |
harebrained | Ill-judged, absurd, rash | asinine, unthinking, careless |
harmful | something that does damage or injury | adverse, hazardous, hurtful |
harried | feeling stressed or strained by persistent demands | harassed, pressured, agitated |
harsh | caustic or unpleasant to experience | acrimonious, coarse, severe |
hateful | unpleasant or distasteful; malevolent | abhorrent, despicable, bitter |
haughty | scornfully arrogant or proud | snobby, snooty, egotistical |
hazardous | creating a dangerous or undesirable circumstance | dicey, perilous, unsafe |
heartbreaking | characterized by intense sadness or anguish | agonizing, distressing, tragic |
hebetudinous | the state of being dull | dozy, dreamy, lethargic |
hegemonic | wielding power, in charge | controlling, despotic, ruling |
heinous | something frightening or disturbing | cruel, dreadful, terrifying |
hideous | shocking, revolting, or horrible to the senses | appalling, grotesque, dreadful |
ho-hum | dull or routine | boring, lifeless, banal |
horrible | evoking horror or disgust | abhorrent, harrowing, loathsome |
horrid | dreadful or unpleasant; causing horror | atrocious, ghastly, grisly |
horrific | causing horror, disturbing | dreadful, frightening, terrifying |
hostile | something violently opposed to something else | antagonistic, averse, inimical |
humiliating | lowering someone’s pride, self-respect, or dignity | mortifying, embarrassing, demeaning |
hyperbolic | overstated, presented in an excessively dramatic manner | excessive, hammy, overdramatic |
Neutral Adjectives That Start With “H”
Sometimes you need a solid “H” adjective that isn’t positive or negative. Just a perfect medium word to describe herbal medicines for hoarse voices or homemade food for your hungry family.
Adjective | Definition | Synonyms |
hands-on | taking an active role, being involved in a situation | involved, proactive, tangible |
haunting | not easily forgotten | unforgettable, persistent, memorable |
heavy | of great weight; difficult or depressed | cumbersome, ponderous, weighty |
hebdomadal | occurring every seven days | septal, weekly |
hedonistic | characterized by pleasure-seeking, being self- indulgent | epicurean, sybaritic, voluptuary |
herbal | having to do with herbs, leafy plants with various culinary and medicinal applications | herbaceous, grassy, vegetal |
heteroclite | outside normal behavior | abnormal, eccentric, unusual |
heuristic | of answering questions, to use both empirical and non-empirical methods | interrogative, intuitive, investigative |
high | raised vertically | elevated, lofty, soaring |
hircine | resembling a goat | caprine |
hirsute | hairy | shaggy, hair-covered, furry |
historic | momentous, having to do with an important moment in history | meaningful, relevant, significant |
historical | something of significance that actually happened | ancient, chronicled, past |
histrionic | something theatrical or overdramatic | dramatic, melodramatic, pantomime |
hoarse | sounding rough or harsh | gruff, husky, croaky |
holistic | having to do with the whole system, rather than any one part | aggregate, comprehensive, entire |
homemade | made at home, not purchased | handcrafted, handmade, homegrown |
horizontal | extending from side to side rather than up and down | decumbent, endwise, flat |
hortative | relating to speech that encourages action | declamatory, encouraging, urging |
hot | high in temperature, aroused in emotion | fiery, heated, warm |
huge | extremely large | colossal, enormous, giant |
human | of or relating to a person or people | anthropic, anthropomorphic, anthropomorphous |
hungry | desiring food | craving, famished, starving |
hybrid | composite or mixture of two or more things | blend, cross, mixture |
hypnotic | inducing sleep or lowering mental awareness | anodyne, lenitive, mesmeric |
Adjectives for Personality Traits That Start With “H”
Many of the words above can apply to people, but it doesn’t hurt to fill your personal lexicon with “H” adjectives for personality traits. Whether you’re writing about a humble character or just want better words to describe your hip and happening friends, you have a huge selection of adjectives that start with “H” to describe people.
Adjective | Definition | Synonyms |
hangdog | looking dejected or guilty in appearance | sheepish, shamefaced, ashamed |
happening | lively and fashionable | trendy, contemporary, stylish |
hardhearted | unfeeling, merciless | brutish, cold-blooded, insensitive |
hardworking | industrious; zealous | diligent, dedicated, persevering |
hasty | quick, rash, impatient, without thought | speedy, careless, hurried |
hearty | warm-hearted, affectionate, sincere | jovial, genuine, exuberant |
heroic | daring, brave, noble | courageous, valiant, bold |
high-maintenance | demanding a lot of time or effort | needy, demanding |
high-minded | possessing strong moral principles and feelings | honest, virtuous, conscientious |
high-strung | highly nervous or excitable | edgy, restless, tense |
hip | familiar with styles and trends of the time | cool, chic, sophisticated |
hoity-toity | snobby, haughty | arrogant, condescending, pretentious |
homely | plain; lacking in physical attractiveness | unattractive, ordinary, unalluring |
hopeful | feeling positive about a future event | optimistic, buoyant, sanguine |
hot-blooded | excitable, passionate | fiery, ardent, impassioned |
hotheaded | rash, impetuous, or easy to anger | touchy, short-fused, volatile |
huffy | easily offended; sulky | angry, grumpy, irritable |
huggable | warm and inviting a close embrace | cuddly, lovable, embraceable |
hulking | physically large, heavy, or clumsy | imposing, bulky, brawny |
humane | characterized by a love and care for people and animals | compassionate, kind, considerate |
humorous | having a sense of humor; causing laughter and amusement | funny, comedic, amusing |
hunky | large, well-built, and attractive | handsome, attractive, strapping |
husky | large and strong | burly, stocky, stout |
hyper | extremely energetic; overstimulated | active, fidgety, frenetic |
hypercritical | excessively critical | fault-finding, carping, pedantic |
hysterical | (usually) extremely funny; uncontrollably emotional | agitated, distraught, excited |
Example Sentences Using Adjectives That Start With “H”
Now that your personal vocabulary is full of helpful, honest-to-goodness adjectives that start with “H,” it’s a good idea to look at some sentence examples to get the hang of using them.
- Debbie took on some harsh new workouts to improve her conditioning.
- On her run home, she stopped for some herbal tea and a scone.
- After dinner, she enjoyed some homemade brownies and wine.
- A healthy mindset gave her the energy to get through the week.
- Monday arrived with its usual troubles, including a frustrating conversation with a hostile customer.
- She went home happy, however, thanks to some hilarious jokes from a coworker.
- She limbered up with some horizontal stretches before going on her evening run.
- The rhythm of the air conditioner was almost hypnotic as she returned home.
- Settling into bed, Debbie drifted into a halcyon night's sleep.
- He preferred more hands-on carpentry lessons to get the hang of handling wood.
- He was jealous of his hip friends who always seemed to know about the new trends and fashions.
- She was getting hungry just from watching the cooking videos.
- Everyone on the team was a little high-strung after the boss’ stern speech about layoffs.
- His parents still tended to be a bit hypercritical about his career choices, despite him being a full-grown adult.
- The museum offered an in-depth look at historical photos.
- The puppy was extremely huggable.
- The hirsute lad was tired of having to trim his beard every single morning.
- His hangdog expression proved that the proposal didn’t go as planned.
- She is such a humane person who volunteers at the shelter and donates to animal rescue programs.
- His hunky boyfriend was extremely attractive.
Start a Hoard of “H” Words
Hopefully you’re happy with all of these adjectives that start with “H,” but if you’re hungry for more, you can include other parts of speech that start with “H.” From nouns to verbs and beyond, building up your “H” vocabulary is good for your writing and conversations, and it can improve your score in word games.