Three Syllable Adjectives: 200 Words With Meanings

Longer adjectives differ from short ones in how they form comparisons and in which syllable is stressed. Three syllable adjectives, such as beautiful and dangerous, modify a noun or follow a linking verb, as in a beautiful garden or a dangerous road.

These trisyllabic words take more and most for the comparative and superlative, with one group of exceptions ending in y. Each word on this page is given with a sentence, and with a meaning where one is required. The first group of words is used for size.

Three Syllable Adjectives With Meanings

Three syllable adjectives such as beautiful, dangerous, delicious, wonderful, expensive, exciting, enormous, and fantastic — Three syllable adjectives with syllable breaks

The words are grouped by sense, from size to time. Each adjective is shown in bold inside its sentence, and a meaning is added where one is required.

Three Syllable Adjectives For Size

Three syllable adjectives for size are used for dimensions and scale, as in enormous and gigantic.

Adjective	Meaning	Sentence
Enormous	Much larger than usual	An enormous wave struck the pier at dawn.
Gigantic	Extremely large	A gigantic statue stood in the town square.
Colossal	Huge and impressive	The colossal dam holds back the entire river.
Tremendous	Very great in size or amount	A tremendous crowd filled the stadium by noon.
Substantial	Large in amount or value	The farmer received a substantial payment for the harvest.
Extensive	Covering a wide space	The park has extensive gardens behind the museum.
Expansive	Wide and open in range	An expansive meadow stretched toward the hills.
Cavernous	Large and hollow like a cave	The cavernous hall echoed with every footstep.
Oversized	Larger than the normal size	He wore an oversized coat in the cold.
Humongous	Informal word for very large	A humongous pumpkin won the county fair.
Prodigious	Remarkably large	The chef cooked a prodigious feast for forty guests.
Minuscule	Extremely small	A minuscule crack ran along the glass.
Sizeable	Fairly large	A sizeable group waited outside the bakery.
Unwieldy	Hard to carry because of size	The unwieldy ladder scraped the wall as she turned.

3 Syllable Adjectives For Appearance

Three syllable adjectives for appearance such as beautiful, attractive, elegant, colorful, glamorous, delicate, and untidy

3 syllable adjectives for appearance are used for looks and surfaces, as in beautiful and shimmering.

Adjective	Sentence
Beautiful	A beautiful garden surrounded the old farmhouse.
Colorful	Colorful kites filled the sky over the beach.
Elegant	The elegant dress swayed as she crossed the stage.
Attractive	An attractive display drew shoppers to the window.
Glamorous	The glamorous actress arrived in a long silver gown.
Delicate	Delicate lace edged the tablecloth on the shelf.
Shimmering	Shimmering water covered the valley after the rain.
Glittering	Glittering lights hung across the narrow street.
Radiant	The bride looked radiant in the morning sun.
Luminous	A luminous moon rose over the dark fields.
Transparent	A transparent bag held the fresh peaches.
Translucent	Translucent curtains softened the afternoon light.
Circular	A circular rug covered the center of the floor.
Picturesque	They rented a picturesque cabin beside the lake.
Dazzling	A dazzling beam from the lighthouse swept the bay.
Majestic	A majestic eagle circled over the canyon.
Untidy	His untidy desk was covered with maps and pens.
Disheveled	The disheveled traveler stepped off the night train.
Silvery	Silvery fish flashed beneath the surface of the stream.
Shadowy	A shadowy figure waited at the end of the alley.
Feathery	Feathery clouds drifted across the evening sky.
Velvety	The velvety petals felt soft against her fingers.
Metallic	A metallic gleam caught his eye on the road.
Colorless	The colorless liquid filled the glass beaker.
Peculiar	A peculiar sound came from the attic.
Unsightly	The unsightly stain spread across the ceiling.

Adjectives With Three Syllables For Taste

Three syllable adjectives for taste such as delicious, flavorful, delectable, sugary, buttery, savory, and refreshing

Adjectives with three syllables for taste are used for flavor, as in delicious and peppery.

Adjective	Sentence
Delicious	The delicious soup simmered on the stove all afternoon.
Flavorful	A flavorful sauce covered the roasted vegetables.
Sugary	Sugary syrup dripped from the warm pancakes.
Peppery	The peppery salad made her eyes water.
Lemony	A lemony glaze topped the fresh cake.
Garlicky	Garlicky bread arrived hot from the oven.
Nutritious	A nutritious breakfast of oats and fruit kept him full.
Refreshing	A refreshing drink waited for the runners at the finish.
Fattening	The doctor described the fried snacks as fattening.
Bittersweet	Bittersweet chocolate melted slowly in the pan.
Overripe	Overripe bananas make the best bread.
Buttery	The buttery rolls disappeared within minutes.

Three Syllable Adjectives For Sound

Three syllable adjectives for sound are used for volume and tone, as in deafening and resounding.

Adjective	Meaning	Sentence
Resounding	Filling a space with loud sound	A resounding cheer filled the old theater.
Clamorous	Loud and confused	A clamorous crowd gathered outside the market.
Deafening	So loud that hearing is difficult	The deafening engine shook the runway.
Thunderous	Very loud, like thunder	A thunderous cheer rose when the team scored.
Resonant	Deep and long lasting in sound	The resonant bell rang across the valley.
Musical	Related to music, or pleasant like music	The child gave a musical laugh at the circus.
Whispering	Speaking in a very soft voice	A whispering crowd gathered outside the courtroom.
Murmuring	Making a low and steady sound	The murmuring brook ran beside the path.
Echoing	Repeating a sound after it ends	Echoing footsteps followed him through the tunnel.
Rumbling	Making a deep, heavy sound	A rumbling truck passed the sleeping village.
Melodic	Having a pleasing tune	The melodic phrase repeated throughout the song.
Unspoken	Understood but not said aloud	An unspoken agreement ended the argument.

Three syllable adjectives for sound such as deafening, thundering, melodic, musical, echoing, murmuring, and rumbling

3 Syllable Adjectives For Feelings

Three syllable adjectives for feelings such as delighted, excited, embarrassed, satisfied, unhappy, confident, and terrified

3 syllable adjectives for feelings are used for moods and reactions, as in terrified and nostalgic.

Adjective	Sentence
Miserable	She felt miserable after missing the last bus home.
Delighted	The delighted children ran to the front gate.
Excited	An excited crowd lined the road for the parade.
Terrified	The terrified rabbit froze in the middle of the lawn.
Embarrassed	He gave an embarrassed laugh and dropped the tray.
Contented	A contented cat slept in the warm window.
Overjoyed	The overjoyed parents hugged their daughter at the airport.
Overwhelmed	She felt overwhelmed by the stack of unopened letters.
Exhausted	The exhausted hikers collapsed beside the campfire.
Determined	A determined student studied until the library closed.
Bewildered	The bewildered tourist turned the map upside down.
Astonished	The astonished audience rose to its feet.
Disgruntled	A disgruntled customer returned the broken lamp.
Furious	He was furious when the package arrived broken.
Resentful	A resentful clerk watched the manager walk away.
Regretful	She sent a regretful note to her old friend.
Unhappy	The unhappy puppy whined at the closed door.
Uneasy	An uneasy silence followed the announcement.
Uncertain	The uncertain jury asked for another day.
Unsettled	He felt unsettled by the strange phone call.
Insecure	The insecure boy hid his drawings from the class.
Defeated	The defeated team shook hands with the winners.
Heartbroken	A heartbroken fan wept after the final whistle.
Satisfied	The satisfied customer left a note for the baker.
Frustrated	She grew frustrated with the jammed printer.
Curious	A curious fox sniffed the open backpack.
Reluctant	The reluctant swimmer stood at the edge of the pool.
Nostalgic	Old photographs made him nostalgic for his childhood town.

Adjectives With Three Syllables For Time

Adjectives with three syllables for time are used for duration and frequency, as in permanent and annual.

Adjective	Meaning	Sentence
Ongoing	Continuing without an end yet	An ongoing repair closed the north entrance.
Eternal	Lasting without end	The poem describes an eternal summer.
Permanent	Lasting for good	A permanent sign now marks the trail.
Gradual	Happening slowly, step by step	The gradual rise in water worried the villagers.
Regular	Happening at fixed times	She takes a regular walk after dinner.
Annual	Happening once a year	The annual fair brings visitors from three counties.
Seasonal	Belonging to one season	Seasonal workers pick the apples in October.
Overnight	Lasting through the night	An overnight snowfall covered the roads.
Overdue	Late past the due date	He returned the overdue book on Monday.
Premature	Happening before the proper time	The premature frost damaged the tomatoes.
Obsolete	No longer in use	The obsolete machine stood unused in the barn.
Outdated	Old and no longer current	An outdated map led them to a closed bridge.
Unending	Continuing without a stop	The unending rain flooded the lower road.
Immortal	Living forever	The immortal hero of the legend never aged.

Three syllable adjectives for time such as eternal, annual, seasonal, ongoing, previous, upcoming, overnight, and recurring

Positive Three Syllable Adjectives

Positive three syllable adjectives express praise, approval, or a favorable quality. They are used to describe people, places, and results.

Adjective	Meaning	Sentence
Wonderful	Extremely good	We spent a wonderful week by the sea.
Fantastic	Excellent	The cook served a fantastic meal for the guests.
Marvelous	Causing great wonder	A marvelous parade crossed the old bridge.
Fabulous	Extremely good, said of style	She wore a fabulous hat to the wedding.
Excellent	Of very high quality	The excellent teacher explained the lesson twice.
Outstanding	Better than others	An outstanding score earned him a scholarship.
Terrific	Very good	The team played a terrific game on Friday.
Impressive	Causing admiration	The impressive bridge took six years to build.
Amazing	Causing great surprise and delight	An amazing view opened at the top of the hill.
Positive	Hopeful and confident	She kept a positive attitude through the long wait.
Generous	Willing to give freely	A generous donor paid for the new library.
Courageous	Brave in the face of danger	The courageous firefighter entered the burning barn.
Fortunate	Having good luck	He was fortunate to find a seat on the last train.
Delightful	Giving great pleasure	A delightful breeze cooled the porch.
Rewarding	Giving satisfaction	Teaching the class was a rewarding job.
Inspiring	Encouraging others to act	The inspiring speech moved the whole room.
Uplifting	Raising the spirits	They sang an uplifting song at the end of the show.
Promising	Showing signs of future success	The promising pianist won a place at the school.
Successful	Reaching a desired result	A successful trial ended the long search for a cure.
Triumphant	Celebrating victory	The triumphant runners lifted the trophy together.
Prosperous	Doing well financially	The prosperous town built a new harbor.
Effective	Producing the intended result	An effective plan ended the delays at the port.
Efficient	Working without wasted effort	The efficient clerk filed every form before noon.
Lovable	Deserving affection	The lovable dog followed the children home.
Glorious	Deserving great praise	A glorious sunrise lit the mountain.
Lucrative	Producing a large profit	The lucrative contract kept the factory busy.
Heartwarming	Causing a feeling of warmth and joy	A heartwarming letter arrived from the old teacher.
Enchanting	Delightful and charming	The enchanting story held the children for an hour.
Bountiful	Plentiful and generous in supply	A bountiful harvest filled every barn.
Plentiful	Existing in large amounts	Fresh fruit was plentiful at the summer market.

Negative 3 Syllable Adjectives

Negative three syllable adjectives such as terrible, horrible, dangerous, disgusting, dishonest, unhappy, and arrogant

Negative 3 syllable adjectives express criticism, dislike, or an unfavorable condition. They are used for behavior, events, and objects.

Adjective	Meaning	Sentence
Terrible	Extremely bad	A terrible storm closed the airport.
Horrible	Causing shock or fear	The horrible smell came from the basement.
Disgusting	Causing strong dislike	The disgusting meal made him leave the room.
Offensive	Causing anger or insult	The offensive remark ended the meeting.
Dangerous	Able to cause harm	A dangerous current pulled the swimmer from the shore.
Destructive	Causing great damage	The destructive flood washed away the bridge.
Disastrous	Causing great harm or failure	A disastrous fire destroyed the warehouse.
Poisonous	Containing poison	The poisonous berries grow beside the trail.
Arrogant	Proud in an unpleasant way	The arrogant player ignored the coach.
Dishonest	Not truthful	A dishonest clerk altered the receipts.
Unfaithful	Not loyal	An unfaithful ally left the camp at night.
Unwelcome	Not wanted	An unwelcome visitor knocked at midnight.
Unpleasant	Not enjoyable	An unpleasant odor filled the hallway.
Ungrateful	Not showing thanks	The ungrateful guest left without a word.
Impatient	Unable to wait calmly	The impatient driver blew the horn twice.
Impolite	Lacking good manners	An impolite waiter interrupted the customers.
Annoying	Causing mild anger	The annoying buzz kept her awake.
Tedious	Long and tiring	The tedious lecture lasted three hours.
Hideous	Very ugly	A hideous mask hung over the door.
Repulsive	Causing strong disgust	The repulsive odor drove the crowd outside.
Revolting	Extremely unpleasant	The revolting stew was thrown away.
Deceitful	Hiding the truth	The deceitful salesman hid the damage in the engine.
Malicious	Intending to harm	A malicious rumor spread through the office.
Unlucky	Having bad luck	The unlucky hiker lost his map in the river.
Sinister	Suggesting evil	A sinister laugh echoed down the corridor.
Unhealthy	Harmful to the body	An unhealthy diet filled his daily routine.
Unruly	Hard to control	The unruly crowd pushed against the gate.
Unfriendly	Not kind to others	An unfriendly clerk ignored the line.
Unsteady	Not firmly balanced	The unsteady ladder wobbled against the wall.
Unworthy	Lacking merit	He felt unworthy of the award.

Adjectives With Three Syllables To Describe A Person

Three syllable adjectives to describe a person such as generous, creative, confident, talented, and gracious

Adjectives with three syllables to describe a person are used for character, skill, and manner.

Adjective	Sentence
Confident	A confident speaker walked onto the stage.
Ambitious	The ambitious intern asked for harder assignments.
Creative	A creative designer built the set from old boxes.
Sensible	The sensible driver slowed down in the fog.
Reasonable	She made a reasonable offer for the house.
Sociable	The sociable neighbor invited everyone to dinner.
Talkative	A talkative passenger chatted all the way to the coast.
Athletic	The athletic boy cleared the fence in one jump.
Attentive	An attentive waiter refilled every glass.
Courteous	The courteous guard opened the door for each visitor.
Respectful	A respectful crowd stood during the anthem.
Tolerant	The tolerant teacher accepted every opinion.
Outgoing	An outgoing girl introduced herself to the whole class.
Disciplined	The disciplined soldier trained before sunrise.
Organized	An organized clerk labeled every folder.
Practical	A practical builder chose a durable roof.
Logical	The logical thinker solved the puzzle in minutes.
Rational	A rational buyer compared three prices first.
Observant	The observant guard noticed the missing ticket.
Talented	The talented painter sold her first canvas at fifteen.
Proficient	A proficient typist finished the pages by noon.
Capable	The capable manager finished the report on time.
Innocent	The innocent child waved at the passing train.
Genuine	His genuine smile put the guests at ease.
Muscular	The muscular farmer lifted the heavy gate.
Elderly	An elderly couple shared the bench in the park.
Dignified	The dignified judge entered the silent court.
Trustworthy	A trustworthy neighbor watched the house all week.
Passionate	The passionate coach shouted from the sideline.
Forgiving	A forgiving friend accepted the late apology.
Devoted	The devoted nurse stayed beside the patient all night.
Dutiful	A dutiful son visited his mother each Sunday.
Mischievous	The mischievous twins hid the teacher’s chalk.
Humorous	His humorous speech made the guests laugh.

Comparative And Superlative Three Syllable Adjectives

Three syllable adjectives comparison qualities: expensive, more expensive, most expensive, and more dangerous

The comparative and superlative of three syllable adjectives are formed with more and most, with one group of exceptions that take er and est.

Comparative Forms Of 3 Syllable Adjectives

Three syllable adjectives comparison feelings: excited, more excited, most excited, delighted, and more delighted

Adjectives three syllables long take more before the positive form for the comparative and most for the superlative, so beautiful becomes more beautiful and most beautiful. The same forms apply to adjectives with four or more syllables, as in more intelligent.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
Beautiful	More beautiful	Most beautiful
Colorful	More colorful	Most colorful
Elegant	More elegant	Most elegant
Attractive	More attractive	Most attractive
Delicate	More delicate	Most delicate
Dazzling	More dazzling	Most dazzling
Majestic	More majestic	Most majestic
Sugary	More sugary	Most sugary
Velvety	More velvety	Most velvety
Delicious	More delicious	Most delicious
Flavorful	More flavorful	Most flavorful
Nutritious	More nutritious	Most nutritious
Musical	More musical	Most musical
Excited	More excited	Most excited
Embarrassed	More embarrassed	Most embarrassed
Terrified	More terrified	Most terrified
Confident	More confident	Most confident
Ambitious	More ambitious	Most ambitious
Creative	More creative	Most creative
Talkative	More talkative	Most talkative
Dangerous	More dangerous	Most dangerous
Terrible	More terrible	Most terrible
Horrible	More horrible	Most horrible
Disgusting	More disgusting	Most disgusting
Wonderful	More wonderful	Most wonderful
Fantastic	More fantastic	Most fantastic
Impressive	More impressive	Most impressive
Successful	More successful	Most successful
Courageous	More courageous	Most courageous
Sensible	More sensible	Most sensible

Three Syllable Adjectives Ending In Y

Adjectives with the prefix un and an ending in y take er and est, so “unhappy” becomes “unhappier” and “unhappiest”. Each of these also takes more and most.

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
Unhappy	Unhappier	Unhappiest
Untidy	Untidier	Untidiest
Unlucky	Unluckier	Unluckiest
Uneasy	Uneasier	Uneasiest
Unhealthy	Unhealthier	Unhealthiest
Unfriendly	Unfriendlier	Unfriendliest
Unruly	Unrulier	Unruliest
Unsteady	Unsteadier	Unsteadiest
Unsightly	Unsightlier	Unsightliest
Unwieldy	Unwieldier	Unwieldiest
Unworthy	Unworthier	Unworthiest

Three Syllable Adjectives By Ending

Three syllable adjectives with a suffix are formed from a base word, and the last column gives that base word and its word class.

Adjectives With Three Syllables Ending In Ous And Ful

Three syllable adjectives ending in ous and ful such as dangerous, generous, glorious, curious, beautiful, and wonderful

The suffix “ous” is added to nouns and verbs, as in danger and dangerous, and the suffix “ful” is added to the same word classes, as in beauty and beautiful.

Adjective	Ending	Base word
Dangerous	Ous	Danger (noun)
Poisonous	Ous	Poison (noun)
Courageous	Ous	Courage (noun)
Ambitious	Ous	Ambition (noun)
Furious	Ous	Fury (noun)
Glamorous	Ous	Glamour (noun)
Humorous	Ous	Humor (noun)
Mischievous	Ous	Mischief (noun)
Nutritious	Ous	Nutrition (noun)
Thunderous	Ous	Thunder (noun)
Prosperous	Ous	Prosper (verb)
Malicious	Ous	Malice (noun)
Beautiful	Ful	Beauty (noun)
Colorful	Ful	Color (noun)
Wonderful	Ful	Wonder (noun)
Flavorful	Ful	Flavor (noun)
Delightful	Ful	Delight (noun)
Deceitful	Ful	Deceit (noun)
Resentful	Ful	Resent (verb)
Regretful	Ful	Regret (verb)
Respectful	Ful	Respect (noun)
Dutiful	Ful	Duty (noun)
Bountiful	Ful	Bounty (noun)

Three Syllable Adjectives Ending In Ive And Al

The suffix “ive” is added to verbs and nouns, as in create and creative, and the suffix “al” is added to nouns, as in music and musical.

Adjective	Ending	Base word
Attractive	Ive	Attract (verb)
Impressive	Ive	Impress (verb)
Creative	Ive	Create (verb)
Effective	Ive	Effect (noun)
Offensive	Ive	Offense (noun)
Talkative	Ive	Talk (verb)
Attentive	Ive	Attention (noun)
Expansive	Ive	Expand (verb)
Musical	Al	Music (noun)
Seasonal	Al	Season (noun)
Practical	Al	Practice (noun)
Logical	Al	Logic (noun)

Three syllable adjectives ending in ive and al such as attractive, creative, impressive, sensitive, natural, and personal

3 Syllable Adjectives Ending In Ic And Able

Three syllable adjectives ending in ic and able such as fantastic, terrific, artistic, romantic, capable, and portable

The suffix “ic” is added to nouns, as in athlete and athletic, and the suffix “able” is added to nouns and verbs, as in love and lovable.

Adjective	Ending	Base word
Athletic	Ic	Athlete (noun)
Fantastic	Ic	Fantasy (noun)
Metallic	Ic	Metal (noun)
Melodic	Ic	Melody (noun)
Nostalgic	Ic	Nostalgia (noun)
Sizeable	Able	Size (noun)
Lovable	Able	Love (verb)
Reasonable	Able	Reason (noun)

Stress In Three Syllable Adjectives

Three syllable adjectives first syllable stress in beautiful, dangerous, wonderful, generous, elegant, and excellent

Stress falls on the first or second syllable in most three syllable adjectives, and on the third syllable in words with the prefix over, as in overdue and overjoyed.

Stress On The First Syllable In 3 Syllable Adjectives

Stress on the first syllable is the usual position in adjectives ending in “ful” or “ous”, as in beautiful and dangerous.

Adjective	Syllables	Stressed syllable
Beautiful	Beau-ti-ful	Beau (first)
Wonderful	Won-der-ful	Won (first)
Dangerous	Dan-ger-ous	Dan (first)
Delicate	Del-i-cate	Del (first)
Elegant	El-e-gant	El (first)
Generous	Gen-er-ous	Gen (first)
Colorful	Col-or-ful	Col (first)
Curious	Cu-ri-ous	Cu (first)
Furious	Fu-ri-ous	Fu (first)
Terrible	Ter-ri-ble	Ter (first)
Horrible	Hor-ri-ble	Hor (first)
Confident	Con-fi-dent	Con (first)
Excellent	Ex-cel-lent	Ex (first)
Fabulous	Fab-u-lous	Fab (first)
Marvelous	Mar-vel-ous	Mar (first)
Flavorful	Fla-vor-ful	Fla (first)
Sensible	Sen-si-ble	Sen (first)
Talented	Tal-ent-ed	Tal (first)
Capable	Ca-pa-ble	Ca (first)
Practical	Prac-ti-cal	Prac (first)

Second Syllable Stress In Adjectives With Three Syllables

Stress on the second syllable occurs in adjectives with a prefix and in words whose stem is stressed, as in unhappy and attractive.

Adjective	Syllables	Stressed syllable
Enormous	E-nor-mous	Nor (second)
Gigantic	Gi-gan-tic	Gan (second)
Colossal	Co-los-sal	Los (second)
Tremendous	Tre-men-dous	Men (second)
Substantial	Sub-stan-tial	Stan (second)
Extensive	Ex-ten-sive	Ten (second)
Attractive	At-trac-tive	Trac (second)
Delicious	De-li-cious	Li (second)
Impressive	Im-pres-sive	Pres (second)
Creative	Cre-a-tive	A (second)
Terrific	Ter-ri-fic	Ri (second)
Amazing	A-ma-zing	Ma (second)
Effective	Ef-fec-tive	Fec (second)
Efficient	Ef-fi-cient	Fi (second)
Ambitious	Am-bi-tious	Bi (second)
Disgusting	Dis-gus-ting	Gus (second)
Offensive	Of-fen-sive	Fen (second)
Dishonest	Dis-hon-est	Hon (second)
Unhappy	Un-hap-py	Hap (second)
Unlucky	Un-luck-y	Luck (second)

Three syllable adjectives second syllable stress in delicious, expensive, fantastic, amazing, exciting, and enormous

Adjectives With Three Syllables That Are Also Nouns

Regular, positive, and annual are both adjectives and nouns with one spelling, and each use is shown in a sentence.

Word	As an adjective	As a noun
Regular	A regular schedule kept the staff on time.	She is a regular at the corner cafe.
Annual	An annual report went to every member.	The gardener grows an annual in the front bed.
Positive	A positive result came back from the lab.	The positive of the photograph hung on the wall.
Negative	A negative review hurt the small shop.	He kept every negative in a metal box.
Criminal	The criminal record was sealed by the court.	A criminal escaped through the back door.
Official	An official notice hung on the gate.	The official signed the form at noon.
Initial	The initial step took only a minute.	She stitched an initial on the corner of the scarf.
Relative	A relative measure of cost guided the buyers.	A relative visited the family on Sunday.
Primitive	Primitive tools lay beside the old fire pit.	The museum owns a primitive from the 1800s.
Liberal	A liberal serving of rice covered the plate.	The liberal spoke in favor of the reform.
Capital	A capital letter began every line.	The capital stood beside a wide river.
Radical	The radical change shocked the old staff.	The radical argued for a new constitution.
Fugitive	A fugitive suspect crossed the border at night.	The fugitive hid in a barn near the river.

Three syllable adjectives used as nouns such as the elderly, the powerful, the beautiful, the innocent, and the generous

Two And Three Syllable Adjectives

Each three syllable adjective is paired with a two syllable adjective of the same meaning, so either word fits the same noun.

Three syllable	Two syllable	Shared meaning
Terrible	Awful	Very bad
Delicious	Tasty	Pleasant to taste
Beautiful	Lovely	Pleasing to look at
Dangerous	Risky	Involving the chance of harm
Courageous	Daring	Ready to face danger
Furious	Angry	Feeling strong displeasure
Hideous	Ugly	Unpleasant to look at
Nutritious	Healthy	Good for the body
Talkative	Chatty	Fond of talking
Gigantic	Massive	Very large
Attractive	Pretty	Pleasant in appearance
Exhausted	Weary	Very tired
Miserable	Gloomy	Sad and low in spirits
Ambitious	Driven	Eager to succeed

FAQs

Q1. What are three syllable words called?

The name is trisyllabic words, since a trisyllabic word is pronounced with three vowel sounds. Beautiful and dangerous are trisyllabic adjectives, while beautifully is a four syllable word.

Q2. Do adjectives with more than three syllables form the comparative the same way?

Yes, adjectives with four or more syllables take more and most, as in more intelligent and most intelligent. The only three syllable adjectives that differ are those with the prefix un and an ending in y, such as “unhappy”, which takes er and est.

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