MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More (3 page)

NOSE

snub

dainty

button

turned-up

long

broad

thin

straight

pointed

crooked

aquiline

Roman

bulbous

flared

hawk

strong

MOUTH/LIPS

thin

narrow

full

lush

thick

plump

Cupid’s bow

rosebud

dry

cracked

chapped

moist

glossy

straight teeth

crooked teeth

gap between teeth

gleaming white teeth

overbite

underbite

FACIAL HAIR (OR LACK THEREOF)

clean-shaven

smooth-shaven

beard

neckbeard

goatee

moustache

sideburns

mutton chops

stubble

a few days’ growth of beard

five o’ clock shadow

HAIR – GENERAL

long

short

shoulder-length

loose

limp

dull

shiny

glossy

sleek

smooth

luminous

lustrous

spiky

stringy

shaggy

tangled

messy

tousled

windblown

unkempt

bedhead

straggly

neatly combed

parted

slicked down

slicked back

cropped

clipped

buzzed

buzz cut

crewcut

pixie cut

mullet

bob

afro

natural

braids

cornrows

dreadlocks

pigtails

ponytail

bun

updo

bouffant

comb-over

bald

shaved

bushy

frizzy

wavy

curly

straight

lanky

oily

greasy

dry

layers

corkscrews

spirals

ringlets

widow’s peak

thick

luxuriant

voluminous

full

wild

untamed

bouncy

wispy

fine

thinning

HAIR – COLOR

black

blue-black

jet black

raven

ebony

inky black

midnight

sable

salt and pepper

silver

charcoal gray

steel gray

white

snow-white

brown

brunette

chocolate brown

coffee brown

ash brown

brown sugar

nut brown

caramel

tawny brown

toffee brown

red

ginger

auburn

Titian-haired

copper

strawberry blonde

butterscotch

honey

wheat

blonde

golden

sandy blond

flaxen

fair-haired

highlighted

bleached

platinum

HANDS

delicate

small

large

square

sturdy

strong

smooth

rough

calloused

elegant

plump

manicured

stubby fingers

long fingers

ragged nails

grimy fingernails

BODY

tall

average height

short

petite

tiny

compact

big

large

burly

beefy

bulky

brawny

barrel-chested

heavy

heavyset

fat

overweight

obese

flabby

chunky

chubby

pudgy

pot-bellied

portly

thick

stout

lush

plush

full-figured

ample

rounded

generous

voluptuous

curvy

hourglass

plump

leggy

long-legged

gangling

lanky

coltish

lissome

willowy

lithe

lean

slim

slender

trim

thin

skinny

emaciated

gaunt

bony

spare

solid

stocky

wiry

rangy

sinewy

stringy

ropy

sturdy

strapping

powerful

hulking

fit

athletic

toned

built

muscular

chiseled

taut

ripped

Herculean

broad-shouldered

sloping shoulders

bowlegged

EMOTIONAL DESCRIPTIONS

As writers, we’re always looking for vivid ways to describe emotions. If we only write things like,
He felt sad, she felt angry, he was devastated, she was elated
... the reader won’t feel much at all.

We can convey many feelings through facial expressions, body language, and gestures. However, you’re limited in how much you can describe the facial expressions of your point-of-view character. She can’t see her own face, so you can’t go much beyond the occasional “she smiled” or “she could feel herself blushing.” And if your character is hiding her emotions, she may be feeling something deeply without conveying it through gestures or body language at all.

This list focuses on two other ways we can make emotions more vivid: assigning an active verb to them, and describing how the emotions physically feel in the body. The latter can be done directly, or you can use metaphorical language to evoke reactions like an adrenaline spike or a dopamine rush. Descriptions of how emotions physically feel should be used judiciously, because they indicate unusually strong feelings, but use them when appropriate because they’re a good way to elicit a reader response.

There are, of course, endless ways to describe emotions. If something here feels too familiar, you can always alter it slightly to make it your own.

Please note that you can turn almost any of these into a supporting phrase in your story. For instance,
humiliation overcame her
can become
overcome with humiliation.

I’ve focused on some basic, primal emotions: desire, anger, fear, disgust, shame, sadness, and joy. You may find inspiration here for describing other feelings as well.

DESIRE

her knees weakened

his knees turned to water

her knees wobbled

she felt breathless

his breath caught

her breath hitched

he stole her breath

he felt dizzy

her flesh tingled

her skin flushed

warmth spread through her

longing whispered through her

his desire flickered to life

heat curled down her spine

every inch of him craved her

her body sizzled

her heart skittered

his heart thumped

her heart nearly stopped

passion ignited her

she electrified her

desire radiated between them

desire percolated between them

passion took hold of him

heat coursed in his veins

lust blindsided her

his body came to attention

heat pooled in her

his body throbbed

he ached for him

she ached with need

her body begged for his touch

she melted

ANGER

her annoyance flared

he quivered with indignation

his every muscle tensed

her body locked up with rage

rage bottled up inside her

she simmered with anger

he trembled with fury

his blood boiled

anger seared through her

her pulse slammed in her neck

he shook with fury

anger roared through him

rage swept over him

anger rolled through her

her temples throbbed with rage

his brain exploded with fury

fury blinded her

rage poisoned her veins

anger swelled up in him

rage fueled her

flames of anger shot through her

fury poured through her

she choked on her anger

anger crashed through him

rage flashed through her

anger thundered through him

FEAR

his breath shook

she was barely able to breathe

an alarm rang in her mind

she bit back a scream

his heart pounded

her heart drummed

his heart thudded

her chest stuttered

his heart was in his throat

fear splintered his heart

his chest tightened with fear

worry snaked through her

worry gnawed at her

anxiety swirled around her

fear clawed through her

he shivered

fear twisted her gut

his stomach knotted

the pit of her stomach fell

sweat trickled down his spine

her blood ran cold

a chill went through him

it chilled his soul

fear hit her like icy water

fear paralyzed her

panic assailed him

her mouth turned dry

DISGUST

he battled the urge to recoil

she forced down a sick feeling

he suppressed a shudder

she fought the urge to throw up

a wave of nausea hit him

she wanted to puke

he tasted bile

bitterness filled her mouth

she gagged

his gorge rose

it turned her stomach

her stomach roiled

his stomach revolted

her stomach heaved

his stomach churned

her skin crawled

his flesh prickled

SHAME

embarrassment stirred in her

shame spiraled through him

embarrassment seized her

he burned with humiliation

his scalp prickled with shame

heat crept into her cheeks

she cringed inwardly

embarrassment racked her

guilt tormented him

guilt consumed her from within

shame corroded his insides

humiliation overcame her

shame engulfed him

she wanted to curl up in shame

inwardly, he winced

embarrassment coiled around him

she floundered in embarrassment

shame washed over him

guilt flooded over her

he wanted to disappear

she wanted to die on the spot

SADNESS

sorrow closed up her throat

his throat clenched

her throat thickened with sobs

his vision blurred

his throat tightened

pain gripped her chest

sadness tore at his chest

her heart wrenched

it felt like a knife to his heart

a weight settled on her heart

he crumbled inside

his mood plummeted

her spirits fell

his hopes disintegrated

he descended into depression

disappointment sagged through him

it plunged him into despair

she was drowning in her grief

sorrow shredded her insides

his body felt leaden

despair dragged her down

dejection burdened her

grief hollowed her out

grief shattered him

he felt empty inside

she felt cold

sadness crushed him

his bones ached

he could hardly move

numbness infused her body

she felt numb all over

JOY

joy bubbled up in her

he glowed inside

joy overwhelmed her

it lifted her mood

it buoyed her spirits

her hopes rose

happiness flowed through her

warmth filled his chest

joy filled him like sunshine

happiness sparkled inside her

joy warmed him from within

her heart felt light

his heart leaped

she got a warm, fuzzy feeling

joy welled up in her heart

hope fluttered inside her

joy danced through her heart

her hopes kindled

happiness bloomed inside her

joy blossomed within her

fresh energy filled him

exultation surged through him

happiness coursed through her

excitement raced through her

elation suffused his being

she felt fully alive

his spirits soared

she felt weightless

he felt light on his feet

she felt like she was floating

he felt giddy

it felt like a caffeine buzz

she felt drunk with happiness

EVOCATIVE IMAGES

The right visual can carry a real emotional punch. It can serve as foreshadowing or characterization, or it can underscore the impact of the action.

Poetry and film make the most use of evocative images, but many novels hinge upon them as well. Most people who have read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
The Great Gatsby
, for instance, remember the ominous eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg on the billboard, the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, and Gatsby’s beautiful multicolored shirts flung out on a table for Daisy’s approval.

I almost put this list in the Settings section of the book, but I think strong images are often more about a character’s moment of perception than about setting the scene in general. Sometimes focusing in closely on a single image can give the whole scene more impact.

This list contains visuals that I think have the power to resonate in your story. I have separated them into indoor and outdoor images, although technically, many could be either. They are in no particular order, though I’ve often put similar things next to each other. I hope they will help you think of many more.