IELTS: List of powerful adjectives

Here is a rich list of powerful adjectives, categorized for easy learning and use.

The Ultimate List of “Very + Adjective” Replacements

Basic Phrase Advanced Adjective Example Sentence
very happy delighted, thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed I was delighted to receive your letter.
very sad heartbroken, devastated, miserable, despondent She was devastated by the news.
very angry furious, enraged, livid, outraged The coach was furious with the team’s performance.
very tired exhausted, fatigued, weary, drained After the marathon, I was completely exhausted.
very scared terrified, petrified, horrified, alarmed He is terrified of heights.
very scary terrifying, chilling, horrifying, spine-chilling It was a terrifying experience.
very boring tedious, monotonous, dull, mind-numbing The lecture was incredibly tedious.
very interesting fascinating, captivating, compelling, engrossing I find ancient history fascinating.
very important crucial, vital, essential, paramount It is crucial that we meet the deadline.
very big huge, enormous, massive, colossal They live in an enormous house.
very small tiny, minute, microscopic, miniature A tiny insect landed on my hand.
very clean spotless, immaculate, pristine The hotel room was spotless.
very dirty filthy, squalid, grimy The streets were filthy after the storm.
very busy swamped, hectic, bustling The city centre is always bustling.
very noisy deafening, raucous, boisterous The concert was deafening.
very quiet silent, tranquil, serene, hushed The library was perfectly silent.
very rich wealthy, affluent, prosperous He comes from an affluent family.
very poor destitute, impoverished, poverty-stricken The charity aims to help impoverished communities.
very crowded packed, congested, overcrowded The train was packed during rush hour.
very empty deserted, barren, void The streets were deserted at night.
very serious grave, solemn, severe The doctor had a grave expression.
very funny hilarious, hysterical, sidesplitting The comedian was hilarious.
very old ancient, archaic, antique (for objects) They discovered an ancient artefact.
elderly, aged (for people) We should respect elderly people.
very new brand-new, innovative, novel He bought a brand-new car.
very beautiful gorgeous, stunning, exquisite, breathtaking The view from the top was breathtaking.
very ugly hideous, unsightly, repulsive The building was widely considered hideous.
very strong powerful, potent, formidable She has a formidable reputation.
very weak feeble, fragile, frail The old man’s voice was feeble.
very smart intelligent, brilliant, astute She is a brilliant scientist.
very stupid foolish, idiotic, nonsensical It was a foolish thing to say.
very careful cautious, vigilant, meticulous The surgeon must be meticulous.
very careless reckless, negligent, thoughtless Reckless driving causes accidents.

How to Use This List for IELTS Success

  • For Speaking: Don’t try to memorize them all. Pick 5-10 of your favourites that feel natural to say and practice using them in your answers.
  • For Writing (Task 2): This is where you can really shine. Plan your essay and think about which key adjectives you can upgrade. For example, if you are writing about environmental problems, using “detrimental” instead of “very bad” or “paramount” instead of “very important” will impress the examiner.
  • Don’t Overdo It: The goal is to sound natural and precise, not like you swallowed a thesaurus. Use these powerful words strategically for emphasis.

Pro Tip: Focus on learning words that are relevant to common IELTS topics like education, environment, technology, society, and health.

For further study, I highly recommend these external resources which are excellent for vocabulary building:

  1. IELTS Liz - Vocabulary Lists: Lists tailored specifically to common IELTS themes.
  2. BBC Learning English - The English We Speak: Great for learning idiomatic and natural expressions.
  3. Quizlet - IELTS Advanced Vocabulary Sets: Use digital flashcards to practice and memorize these words.