Adjectives That Start With U

Let’s start with the easy category. There are only a handful of adjectives that start with "u." You’ll notice that some of them do have "un" as the first two letters, but it’s not the same as the prefix un-. Three of them have the prefix under-, meaning “below or too low.” Here are our top 20 "u" adjectives:

1. uber - super; high level
2. ubiquitous - seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent
3. ugly - not pleasing to look at; aesthetically unattractive
4. ulcerated - affected by an ulcer
5. ulterior - later, subsequent; beyond what is obvious or implied; undisclosed
6. ultimate - beyond which it is impossible to go; greatest or highest possible
7. ultra - going beyond the usual limit; excessive; extreme
8. ultrasonic - sound waves with a frequency higher than the limit of human hearing
9. umbrageous - having shade; easily offended, angered by something wrong or unjust
10. umpteenth - relating to something that has happened on several other occasions
11. unctuous - suave or oily in speech or manner
12. underrated - rated, assessed or estimated too low
13. understanding - having or characterized by comprehension or sympathy
14. underweight - below the normal or allowable weight
15. unique - one and only; having no like or equal; unparalleled
16. united - combined; joined; made one; in agreement or harmony
17. urban - characteristic of the city as distinguished from the country
18. urgent - the need for immediate action
19. useable - capable of being utilized
20. utmost - most extreme; greatest

While those might be some of the top runners, there is also a whole list of adjectives that start with the prefix up-, which means in or "going toward." Dive into this fun list of up- adjectives.

1. upbeat - optimistic
2. upcoming - about to happen
3. upended - turned upside-down or on its side
4. upfront - honest, frank
5. uphill - ascending, upward
6. upland - hilly area
7. uplifted - raised to a higher moral, social, or cultural level or condition; elevate
8. upper - on higher ground
9. uppity - haughty, arrogant, snobbish, etc.
10. upright - sitting in a straight manner; honorable or honest
11. upscale - classy or expensive
12. upstairs - upper floor
13. upstanding - honest, honorable
14. upstage - divert attention to yourself
15. upstart - someone who rises to a high position suddenly
16. upstream - a direction against the current flow of river or stream
17. uptight - tense, nervous
18. upturned - directed upward
19. upward - ascending
20. upwind - toward or against the direction of the wind

Now let’s have a look at the bulk of the adjectives in English that start with "u," a beast of a category, the un- adjectives. The prefix un- means not, and it can be added to the beginning of just about any other adjective to create the opposite meaning or antonym. For example, the opposite of expected is unexpected, the opposite of zipped is unzipped, and so on. Listed below are 50 adjectives that start with un-.

1. unanswered - irrefutable
2. uneasy - uncomfortable
3. ungracious - not courteous
4. unmotivated - no enthusiasm for the task
5. unsafe - dangerous
6. unappetizing - unappealing food
7. unenviable - undesirable, unwanted
8. ungrateful - unappreciative
9. unmoving - motionless
10. unsatisfactory - inadequate
11. unbearable - very painful, unpleasant
12. unerring - not going astray
13. unhappy - sad, not feeling joy
14. unnecessary - not needed
15. untalented - lacking special qualities or talents
16. unbeatable - impossible to defeat
17. unexpected - unforeseen
18. unhurried - not happening quickly
19. unnerving - losing courage in a situation
20. untidy - not clean
21. unbelievable - unimaginable; far-fetched
22. unflappable - calm, collected; unexcitable
23. unimaginable - unthinkable, inconceivable
24. unoccupied - having no one in it
25. unused - not being utilized
26. uncanny - unnatural, eerie
27. unforgiving - not able to excuse
28. unimportant - not having significance
29. unpopular - not liked
30. unusual - not commonly done
31. unclean - dirty
32. unfortunate - not lucky
33. uninviting - not attractive
34. unpredictable - uncertain, unforeseeable
35. unvarying - constant
36. uncouth - uncultured appearance or manner
37. unfriendly - not kind; disagreeable
38. unjust - not morally right or fair
39. unreal - so strange it's not believable
40. unwary - not cautious
41. undiplomatic - appearing tactless or insensitive
42. ungainly - clumsy
43. unkind - not nice
44. unreasonable - not logical; not guided by good judgment
45. unwilling - not ready to do something
46. undying - lasting, enduring
47. ungodly - unholy, immoral
48. unlikely - not going to happen
49. unregenerate - not reforming
50. unyielding - inflexible

Explore 10 sentences using adjectives that start with "u" to see an idea of the fun ways you can add variety to your writing.

1. I liked her unique voice.
2. We were united together during the rally.
3. He is a bit uppity if you ask me.
4. I wanted to go to the upper part of the museum, but it was closed.
5. I know it's an unpopular view, but that's okay with me.
6. He had an upright attitude.
7. They were just unkind most of the time.
8. It's really unlikely that school will be canceled.
9. Her unyielding attitude got on my nerves.
10. The girl was upbeat and easygoing.

And just like that, you learned a slew of "u" adjectives. Ready for things to get really interesting? Let’s take a look at a list of adjectives that start with "v."