27 Adjectives to Describe a Parent

27 Adjectives to Describe a Parent

Hello English learners! Today, we’re diving into the world of parenting vocabulary—specifically, how to describe different types of parents using rich and expressive adjectives. Whether you’re writing about family, discussing your childhood, or preparing for a Cambridge Speaking or Writing task, accurately describing people is essential in English. In this lesson, you’ll discover 27 adjectives to describe a parent, both positive and negative. You’ll also find example sentences to help you understand how to use each one in context, along with collocations that will make your English sound more natural and fluent.

From affectionate to strict, from caring to negligent, these words will help you talk about parenting styles and express your ideas clearly and effectively. Let’s get started!

You will find vocabulary and collocations related to parenting here

1. Accepting
2. Affectionate
3. Careless
4. Caring
5. Committed
6. Conscientious
7. Devoted
8. Distressed
9. Empathetic
10. Encouraging
11. Exemplary
12. Fond
13. Generous
14. Helpful
15. Honest
16. Humble
17. Indulgent
18. Negligent
19. Patient
20. Playful
21. Protective
22. Resilient
23. Resourceful
24. Selfish
25. Sensible
26. Strict
27. Supportive

Accepting

Meaning: open and tolerant.

• My dad was an accepting parent, supportive and tolerant at all times.

 

Affectionate

Meaning: a parent who shows that he/she loves and cares for their child.

• Our mother hugged and kissed us a lot; she would always praise our efforts to learn new things. She was an affectionate parent.

Careless

Meaning: a parent who doesn’t show interest in his/her children.

• Being a careless mother, Lynda let her children do whatever they wanted.

Caring

Meaning: supportive, sympathetic and kind.

• There is no doubt that Bridget is a caring mother.

Committed

Meaning: loyal to your children and willing to invest time and energy in them.

• What a committed parent Celia is! She spends so much time doing homework with her children.

Conscientious

Meaning: a parent who is always mindful and caring towards their children.

• My parents were thoughtful and contentious, always willing to help and give advice to us.

Devoted

Meaning: a parent who is full of love for their children and supports them in everything.

• A devoted parent never gives up and always finds time for their child.

Distressed

Meaning: a parent who is worried and upset.

• The baby’s mother was so distressed that she couldn’t talk.

Empathetic

Meaning: a parent who is able to understand how his/her child feels because they used to be a child too.

• As his son began to complain, Martin became empathetic and lowered the tone.

 

Encouraging

Meaning: an encouraging parent supports and motivates their children. They praise their efforts, cheer them on, and help build their confidence, especially when facing challenges.

• My mum was always so encouraging—she told me I could do anything I set my mind to.

Exemplary

Meaning: a parent who is able to provide an example for their child to copy.

• Simon is an exemplary father who gives a lot of love and affection to his children.

Fond

Meaning: a fond parent shows love and admiration for his/her children.

• Sandra seemed strict but she was a fond mother, full of love for her children.

Generous

Meaning: a parent who gives money and help to their child.

• What a generous mother you are! You bought your daughter a piano.

Helpful

Meaning: a parent who is willing to help.

• My mother was the most helpful parent I know. She would do homework with us, play with us and was always there for us.

Honest

Meaning: a parent who always tells the truth to their children and never lies or cheats.

• I’ll always remember my dad as an honest person who’d never lied to us.

Humble

Meaning: a parent who is trying to be equal to their children, not special or more important in any way.

• Humble parents share power with their children.

Indulgent

Meaning: an indulgent parent is very lenient and gives their child a lot of freedom. They may allow them to do whatever they want or give them too many treats, often avoiding saying “no”.

• Some people thought our dad was too indulgent—he never said no when we asked for sweets!

Negligent

Meaning: a parent who doesn’t care much or doesn’t pay enough attention to his/her children.

• Luke was a negligent parent who never cared about his children’s needs.

Patient

Meaning: a parent who is capable of dedicating his/her time to their children without becoming angry.

• I remember my mother as a patient person who always had time for us and our problems.

Playful

Meaning: a parent who likes playing with their children.

• Nina is a playful mother who enjoys playing with her children.

Protective

Meaning: a parent who gives protection to his/her children.

• Henry made an excuse for his son’s behaviour because he was a protective father.

Resilient

Meaning: a strong parent who is able to get back to normal after something bad has happened.

• We were able to go through the horrors of war thanks to my father who was a resilient man.

Resourceful

Meaning: a parent who is good at finding ways to solve problems.

• My parents were strong and resourceful; they always helped us in finding the way out of our problems.

Selfish

Meaning: a parent who doesn’t think much about their children but mostly about themselves.

• Children who have selfish parents tend to suffer from depression later in life.

Sensible

Meaning: reasonable.

• My mother was a sensible woman who took very good care of our health and safety.

Strict

Meaning: a parent who demands their children to obey certain rules.

• We learned to be on time because our father was a strict man; we were not allowed to be late home, especially at night.

Supportive

Meaning: a parent who encourages his/her children and helps them achieve their goals.

• Novak Djokovic could never make it without his supportive parents.

Learn adjectives to describe a child here

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