110 Adjectives That Start With “C”

Updated August 11, 2022
list of four adjectives that start with "C"
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The letter “C” has a lot to offer. It’s got two catchy sounds (as in casual and cerebral) to help you describe your calamitous day or your civilized conversations. A comprehensive list of adjectives that start with “C” is a creative place to start any poem, story, or vocabulary list. 

Adjectives That Start With Ca-Ch

When you want to describe someone’s personality traits in a charitable way, you can’t just stick with cool or cute. There are many more charming and celebrated adjectives to use.

Adjective

Definition

Synonyms

cacophonous

a harsh or annoying sound

discordant, ear-splitting, raucous

cagey

not forthcoming or honest

shifty, secretive, elusive

calamitous

a total disaster

devastating, ruinous, tragic

calculating

scheming or ruthless way of acting

wily, slick, devious

callous

unfeeling or uncaring

insensitive, heartless, unsympathetic

calming

freeing from stress

soothing, pacifying, alleviating

candescent

glowing with intense heat and light

luminous, dazzling, white-hot

canny

careful with money

shrewd, wary, thrifty

canonical

well-established patterns and laws

approved, orthodox, typical

cantankerous

always quarreling and unpleasant

bad-tempered, crotchety, irascible

capacious

able to contain a lot

spacious, roomy, abundant

capricious

having wild, unpredictable mood changes

volatile, impulsive, erratic

captivating

attracting and holding one’s interest

enthralling, dazzling, fascinating

carefree

without troubles or worries

nonchalant, easygoing, breezy

careless

not being careful, having errors

negligent, remiss, inattentive

casual

not planned or formal

nonchalant, laid-back, relaxed

catastrophic

unfortunate or damaging

tragic, lamentable, dreadful

caustic

a mean and hurtful comment or person

acerbic, derisive, vitriolic

catchy

catching your attention and easily remembered

snappy, appealing, unforgettable

cathartic

releasing emotional tension

relieving, freeing, purifying

cautionary

warning

admonitory, preventive, advisory

cautious

avoiding danger

wary, circumspect, vigilant

cavalier

casually dismissive

indifferent, disdainful, haughty 

cavernous

resembling a cavern; vast

reverberant, chasmal, yawning

ceaseless

without end

continual, incessant, nonstop

celebrated

known for one’s accomplishments

famous, renowned, eminent

celestial

having to do with the skies or the heavens

planetary, heavenly, ethereal

cerebral

appealing to the intellect

analytical, erudite, highbrow

certain

knowing something without a doubt

indisputable, irrefutable, unequivocal

cerulean

a shade of deep blue

sapphire, lazuline, azure

challenging

requiring all of one’s abilities

stimulating, taxing, demanding

chalky

drained of color

sickly, pallid, pasty

chance

not planned

spontaneous, unpredicted, unforeseeable

charismatic

skilled at attracting attention

alluring, magnetic, mesmerizing 

charitable 

generous toward others

philanthropic, benevolent, altruistic

charming

enjoyable to spend time with

pleasant, amiable, attractive

cheeky

cutely mischievous

presumptuous, forward, impertinent

cheerful

filled with good spirits

joyous, ebullient, merry

cherished

deeply loved

adored, appreciated, doted upon

cherubic

resembling an angel

seraphic, angelic, adorable

chic

elegant or fashionable

stylish, swanky, trendy

childish

acting more like a child than an adult

immature, naive, juvenile

childlike

innocent and unaffected

guileless, trusting, ingenuous

chirping

a high-pitched noise that a bird would make

warbling, peeping, chattering

chivalrous

considerate of others’ needs

gallant, courteous, gracious

chronic

occurring over a long period of time

persistent, long-term, continual

chuffed

very proud and pleased

giddy, mirthful, overjoyed

chummy

comfortably friendly

affectionate, intimate, familiar

churlish

rude to others

unmannerly, oafish, uncivilized

citrusy

smelling of oranges or lemons

zesty, piquant, tangy

civilized

cultured and refined

enlightened, well-mannered, polished

List of Adjectives That Start With Cl-Co

No list of adjectives that start with “C” would be complete without a comprehensive collection of “cl” and “co” words.

Adjective

Definition

Synonyms

clairvoyant

having great perception and insight into the future

psychic, soothsayer, telepath

clandestine

kept secret or hidden

illicit, surreptitious, furtive

clanging

a loud, repetitive banging sound

blaring, clanking, clashing

classless

the opposite of classy or composed

boorish, uncouth, gauche

clever

intelligent and quick-witted

adept, witty, adroit

clinical

cooly analytical

impassive, detached, objective

cloudless

a clear, sunny sky

clear, fair, placid

clueless

doesn't understand, completely lost

oblivious, unaware, perplexed

clumsy

awkward, moves without elegance

inelegant, lumbering, gawky

coarse

scratchy and rough

bristly, prickly, wiry

coastal

relating to the beach or shore

seaside, tidal, riverine

cold-blooded

unfeeling towards others

pitiless, callous, inhuman

combative

always looking for a fight

belligerent, antagonistic, truculent

comely

attractive in appearance

lovely, fetching, stunning

commonplace

happening all the time

mainstream, ordinary, mundane

compassionate

feeling kindly toward others

sympathetic, tenderhearted, understanding

compendious

stating the essentials in a concise way

succinct, condensed, compact

complaisant

willing to please others

assenting, amenable, pliant

complementary

going well together

harmonious, compatible, supporting

complete

finished or unbroken

absolute, exhaustive, veritable

complex

having many parts

intricate, byzantine, elaborate

comprehensive

complete, including all elements

full-scale, broad, extensive

composed

showing composure and poise

self-possessed, serene, coolheaded 

conceited

having an excessively favorable opinion of oneself

vain, egotistical, self-centered

conciliatory

eager to keep the peace

mollifying, appeasing, disarming

conniving

always scheming; untrustworthy

deceitful, treacherous, conspiring

contemptible

worthy of hatred

despicable, deplorable, loathsome

conscientious

doing what is right and proper

attentive, dedicated, assiduous

conservative

having traditional views and opposing sudden change

fundamentalist, unchanging, old-fashioned

consummate

a complete master or professional

exemplary, ultimate, expert

contrary

constantly disagreeing

obstructive, incompatible, unaccommodating

conventional

not unusual or extreme

ordinary, standard, commonplace

cordial

formally pleasant

affable, good-natured, welcoming

corny

sweet and sentimental to the point of annoyance

trite, insipid, hackneyed

corrupt

willing to act dishonestly for personal gain

disreputable, amoral, unprincipled

cosmic

relating to the universe

grandiose, otherworldly, galactic

courageous

brave; undeterred by danger or pain

plucky, valorous, audacious

cozy

a warm, comfortable feeling

snug, homey, restful

courteous

having polite manners toward others

genteel, gracious, well-mannered

covetous

obsessed with what others have

rapacious, desirous, yearning

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Adjectives That Start With Cr-Cy

Relax in front of a crackling fire with a creamy cup of hot chocolate. These adjectives that start with “C” may be a bit crooked, but they’re also creative.

Adjective

Definition

Synonyms

crackling

a snapping sound

crinkling, crepitating, rustling 

craggy

a rocky edge or surface

jagged, precipitous, rugged

craterous

broken, full of holes

battle-scarred, pitted, tattered

craven

utterly cowardly

spineless, timorous, faint-hearted

creamy

having the thick texture of cream

buttery, velvety, smooth

creative

involving the imagination

innovative, ingenious, prolific

crisp

sharp and dry

brittle, clear, brisk

crooked

not honest or straightforward

nefarious, dishonorable, unprincipled

crumbling

falling apart into ruins

disintegrating, fragmenting, deteriorating

crusty

dry and crumbly

friable, encrusted, brittle

cryptic

confusingly mysterious

obscure, perplexing, enigmatic

crystalline

sparkling and clear

transparent, translucent, pellucid

cuddly

pleasant to hug

loveable, snuggly, huggable

curdled

becoming spoiled or gone bad

coagulated, solidified, fetid

curmudgeonly

acting ill-tempered and stubborn

ornery, miserly, grouchy

curt

rudely brief or abrupt

terse, brusque, snappish

curvaceous

having a curvy figure

voluptuous, full-figured, shapely

customary

commonly practiced

habitual, everyday, routine

cyan

a shade of greenish-blue

seafoam, aquamarine, teal

cynical

believing the worst of people

pessimistic, world-weary, misanthropic

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Example Sentences Using Words That Start With “C”

Time to “C” these adjectives in action! These compendious sentences illustrate just how to use adjectives that start with “C.”

  1. This is a charming house you have.
  2. The cautious cat looked at the people curiously.
  3. The childish woman pouted in the corner.
  4. No cage could stop the clever puppy from escaping.
  5. It was hard to explain the problem to the clueless boy.
  6. The cuddly kitty curled right into my chest.
  7. It was hard to decipher the cryptic message my brother left.
  8. His curt response was rude and hurtful.
  9. Let my bad experience serve as a cautionary tale.
  10. We met in a chance encounter on vacation.
  11. Her eyes were a deep cerulean color, reminding me of the ocean.
  12. Don’t trust that conniving salesperson.
  13. Our concert music is canonical, so we play it every year.
  14. My sister seems clairvoyant at times because she can predict what’s about to happen.
  15. The churlish party guest insulted the host and yelled at the servers.
  16. This Valentine’s Day card is a little corny, but I like it anyway.
  17. Please welcome the celebrated author, Dorian Applebee.
  18. All this sand is coarse on my skin.
  19. We climbed up the craggy mountain face toward the summit.
  20. Why are you acting so cavalier about this bad news?
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“C” Yourself Through More Parts of Speech

Having a list of adjectives that start with "C" in your arsenal is bound to make your next piece of writing glow with crisp, clear ingenuity. For more opportunities to use this charming consonant, discover other types of words that start with “C.”