22 Adjectives to Describe a Face

22 Adjectives to Describe a Face (with Meanings and Examples)

Hello, English learners! Welcome to a new vocabulary lesson. Today, we’re going to look at 22 useful adjectives to describe a face.

A rich vocabulary is one of the most powerful tools you can have in English. It allows you to express your ideas clearly, precisely, and naturally — without repeating the same basic words again and again. Adjectives, or describing words, are especially important because they bring your writing and speaking to life. Instead of saying that someone has a nice or strange face, you can choose a more precise word that creates a clear picture in the reader’s or listener’s mind.

Using a varied vocabulary not only makes your English more interesting and expressive, but it also helps you understand texts more easily — which is particularly important for exams like B2 First and C1 Advanced.

In this lesson, you’ll learn 22 common and useful adjectives to describe a face, each with a clear definition and natural example sentences.

The List

Angular • Bearded • Blushing • Chiselled • Clean-shaven • Delicate • Expressive • Freckled • Gaunt • Oval • Pale • Plump • Radiant • Rosy • Round • Scarred • Smooth • Stern • Symmetrical • Tanned • Wrinkled • Youthful

Angular

Meaning: having sharp features or clearly defined angles.

• The artist captured her sharp, angular face with great precision.
• His angular face, with high cheekbones and a strong jawline, gave him a serious, thoughtful look.

Bearded

Meaning: covered with facial hair.

• He walked in with a thick, bearded face and a friendly smile.
• The actor’s well-groomed bearded face made him look older and more distinguished.

Blushing

Meaning: reddened, usually because of embarrassment, shyness, or emotion.

• Her blushing face turned bright red when everyone started clapping.
• His blushing face gave away his nervousness during the presentation.

Chiselled

Meaning: well-defined and strongly shaped, as if sculpted.

• The actor’s chiselled face made him perfect for action-movie roles.
• He had a chiselled face and sharp eyes that immediately caught people’s attention.

Clean-shaven

Meaning: having no facial hair.

• With a clean-shaven face, he looked neat and professional.
• His clean-shaven face made him look much younger than usual.

Delicate

Meaning: having fine, soft, and gentle features.

• She had a delicate face framed by soft, light hair.
• The painter carefully captured the dancer’s delicate face in the portrait.

Expressive

Meaning: showing emotions very clearly.

• Her expressive face showed every thought and feeling.
• The actor’s expressive face made even silent scenes interesting to watch.

Freckled

Meaning: covered with small light-brown spots.

• The child’s freckled face was bright and cheerful.
• He had a freckled face that made him easy to recognise in a crowd.

Gaunt

Meaning: very thin and bony, often because of illness, stress, or lack of food.

• After the illness, his face looked pale and gaunt.
• Her gaunt face and hollow cheeks worried everyone.

Oval

Meaning: shaped like a long, rounded circle.

• She had an oval face and very balanced features.
• His oval face was made even more striking by his bright eyes.

Pale

Meaning: very light in colour, often because of illness, shock, or little sunlight.

• Her pale face showed that she wasn’t feeling well.
• He went pale when he heard the news.

Plump

Meaning: round and full, especially in a healthy or pleasant way.

• The baby had a plump face and rosy cheeks.
• His plump face made him look friendly and approachable.

Radiant

Meaning: glowing with happiness, health, or excitement.

• Her radiant face lit up the room when she walked in.
• He looked radiant after hearing the good news.

Rosy

Meaning: having a healthy pink colour.

• The child came in from the cold with a rosy face.
• She looked healthy and relaxed, with a warm, rosy face.

Round

Meaning: having a circular shape or soft, curved features.

• He had a round face and a warm, friendly smile.
• The child’s round face made her look even younger than she was.

Scarred

Meaning: marked with one or more scars.

• His scarred face showed signs of a difficult life.
• Although her face was scarred, it only added to her strong character.

Smooth

Meaning: even and soft, without roughness or marks.

• She had smooth skin and a calm, confident expression.
• His smooth face and clear complexion made him look very young.

Stern

Meaning: serious and strict in expression.

• The teacher’s stern face made the class fall silent.
• He listened with a stern face and said nothing.

Symmetrical

Meaning: balanced and similar on both sides.

• She had a very symmetrical face that people often admired.
• His symmetrical face gave him a calm and harmonious appearance.

Tanned

Meaning: made darker by the sun.

• He came back from holiday with a tanned face and a big smile.
• Her tanned face showed she had spent a lot of time outdoors.

Wrinkled

Meaning: covered with lines or folds, usually because of age.

• His wrinkled face was full of character and stories.
• The old sailor’s wrinkled face showed the marks of many years at sea.

Youthful

Meaning: looking young and fresh.

• She had a youthful face that made her seem much younger than her age.
• He kept a youthful appearance despite being in his fifties.

Practice

Try to describe:

• a famous actor or actress
• a character from a book or film
• someone you know

Use at least five adjectives from the list.

Adjectives to describe a face

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