Adjectives That Start With U

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Updated June 28, 2022
Adjectives That Start with U
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    Adjectives That Start with U
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There are so many adjectives that start with "u," it’s overwhelming. But, they can be broken down to make them more manageable. While the monster category is “adjectives that start with un-," the much smaller categories like "common 'u' adjectives" and "up- adjectives" make up this list too. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Common 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

Adjectives That Start With Up-

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
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Adjectives That Start With Un-

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
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Example Sentences for Adjectives That Start With U

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.

Having Fun With Adjectives

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."