Adjectives That Start With K: 200+ K Adjectives

The knuckleheaded knave kidnapped the kind-hearted king.

If you’re trying to write a sentence using alliteration, like the sentence above, you might be looking for adjectives that start with K.

Words that start with a specific letter can be useful for creating a memorable business slogan, a great character description, or many other forms of writing.

So, if you’re looking for adjectives that start with K, you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll give you 200+ adjectives that start with K, which you can use to bring your writing to life.  

K Words to Describe Someone

Often, you might need to use adjectives that start with K to describe a real person or a fictional character in your writing.

Adjectives can be useful for giving details about someone’s appearance. For example, you might say someone looks kempt if they take good care of themselves or kingly if they look regal.

Personality adjectives can tell the reader about a character’s personality traits. You might say that someone is kindhearted, kittenish, or klutzy.

You can even use adjectives to describe someone’s ethnicity or nationality. You can use the word Kyrgyzstani to describe someone from Kyrgyzstan, or Kuwaiti to describe someone from Kuwait.

Here’s a full list of common K adjectives in the English language you can use to describe an individual’s traits, as well as the key definition of each word.

• Kampuchian (definition: from Kampuchea)

• Keen (definition: sharp and discerning)

• Keen-eyed (definition: able to notice things)

• Kempt (definition: neat and well-maintained)

• Kenyan (definition: from Kenya)

• Keyed up (definition: nervous and jittery)

• Kibitzing (definition: prone to offering unwelcome advice)

• Kicky (definition: exciting and fashionable)

• Killjoy (definition: acting in a way that spoils the enjoyment of others)

• Kilted (definition: wearing a kilt)

• Kind (definition: good-natured and friendly)

• Kind-hearted (definition: warmhearted and compassionate)

• Kindly (definition: benevolent and good-natured)

• Kindred (definition: similar in kind)

• Kinetic (definition: lively and energetic)

• Kingly (definition: regal and noble)

• Kinky (definition: given to specific sexual behavior)

• Kissy (definition: amorous)

• Kittenish (definition: lighthearted and playful)

• Klutzy (definition: clumsy and awkward)

• Knavish (definition: dishonest and untrustworthy)

• Knightly (definition: chivalrous and gallant)

• Knock-kneed (definition: having legs that curve inwards)

• Knowledgeable (definition: intelligent and well informed)

• Knuckleheaded (definition: stupid)

• Kooky (definition: strange or eccentric)

• Korean (definition: from Korea)

• Kosovan (definition: from Kosovo)

• Kurd (definition: from Kurdistan)

• Kuwaiti (definition: from Kuwait)

• Kvetching (definition: given to complaining a great deal)

• Kyrgyzstani (definition: from Kyrgyzstan)

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Positive Adjectives That Start With K

Depending on what you’re writing, you might be looking for K adjectives that have specifically positive connotations.

For example, if you’re writing an advertisement for your product or service, you want to showcase your offerings with words that can attract potential customers. You might say that your product is kid-friendly or king-sized.

Similarly, if you’re writing an application for a job, you want to use words that can highlight your positive traits. You might describe yourself as keen or kinetic.

So, if you want to make sure you’re using positive words, this is the section for you. Here are some positive adjectives that start with K.

• Kaleidoscopic (definition: multicolored or multifaceted)

• Karmic (definition: relating to karma)

• Kawaii (definition: cute and endearing)

• Keen (definition: sharp and discerning)

• Keen-eyed (definition: able to notice things)

• Kempt (definition: neat and well-maintained)

• Kicky (definition: exciting and fashionable)

• Kid-friendly (definition: welcoming to children)

• Killer (definition: impressive or efficient)

• Kind (definition: good-natured and friendly)

• Kind-hearted (definition: warmhearted and compassionate)

• Kindly (definition: benevolent and good-natured)

• Kinetic (definition: lively and energetic)

• King-sized (definition: larger than standard)

• Kingly (definition: regal and noble)

• Kittenish (definition: lighthearted and playful)

• Knightly (definition: chivalrous and gallant)

• Knockout (definition: extremely impressive)

• Knowledgeable (definition: intelligent and well informed)

• Known (definition: recognized and familiar)

• Kosher (definition: genuine and legitimate)

Negative Words That Start With K

There are also scenarios where you might need to use specifically negative adjectives.

If you’re describing the villain or antagonist of a story, you probably want the reader to dislike them. You might call them knavish or knuckleheaded.

Or, if you’re writing an essay critiquing the flaws in an institution or organization, you might want to use negative words to make your stance clear. You might call something Kafkaesque or knockabout.

Here are some descriptive adjectives that start with K, which have negative connotations.

• Kafkaesque (definition: having the nightmarish qualities of Franz Kafka’s stories)

• Kaput (definition: broken and useless)

• Kibitzing (definition: prone to offering unwelcome advice)

• Killer (definition: extremely difficult or unpleasant)

• Kindless (definition: unkind and unsympathetic)

• Klutzy (definition: clumsy and awkward)

• Knaggy (definition: covered with protuberances and knobs)

• Knavish (definition: dishonest and untrustworthy)

• Knickknacked (definition: small and trivial)

• Knobby (definition: covered with small knobs)

• Knockabout (definition: rough and slapstick)

• Knock-kneed (definition: having legs that curve inwards)

• Knotty (definition: full of knots)

• Know-it-all (definition: behaving as if they know everything)

• Knuckleheaded (definition: stupid)

• Kraken-like (definition: resembling an enormous sea monster)

• Kvetching (definition: given to complaining a great deal)

Scientific K Words

If you’re writing a scientific article or essay, or if you’re writing science fiction, you might need to use technical language that has scientific meanings.

Here are some scientific K adjectives that you can use in your writing.

• Karyokinetic (definition: related to the division of the nucleus of a cell during mitosis or meiosis)

• Karyologic (definition: related to the study of cell nuclei)

• Katabatic (definition: wind caused by local downward motion of cool air)

• Katabolic (definition: characterized by destructive metabolism)

• Keratinous (definition: made of keratin)

• Keratogenic (definition: able to induce proliferation of epidermal tissue)

• Keratogenous (definition: producing horn)

• Keraunographic (definition: related to the markings left by lightning)

• Keystone (definition: central and fundamental)

• Kinetic (definition: related to motion)

• Kosmotropic (definition: likely to enhance structure and stability in water-water interactions)

• Kymographic (definition: related to an instrument used for recording variations in pressure)

Full List of Adjectives Starting With K

There are plenty of other adjectives that don’t fit into the categories above. If you’re just looking for descriptive words that start with K, and you’re not sure what category you need it to be, here’s a comprehensive list of 200+ describing words beginning with K.

• Kabbalistic

• Kafkaesque

• Kaleidoscopic

• Kaleidoscopical

• Kampuchean

• Kantian

• Kaput

• Karyokinetic

• Karyologic

• Karyoplasmic

• Kashmiri

• Katabatic

• Katabolic

• Katari

• Katharobic

• Kathetal

• Kayoed

• Kazakhstani

• Kechuan

• Kecklish

• Keen

• Keen-eyed

• Keld

• Keloid

• Keltic

• Kempe

• Kempt

• Kenspeckle

• Kentuckian

• Kenyan

• Kept

• Keramic

• Kerosene

• Keratinous

• Keratogenic

• Keratogenous

• Keratose

• Keraunographic

• Keraunoscopical

• Kerchief

• Kerchiefed

• Kerned

• Kernelly

• Ketonic

• Key

• Keyboard

• Keyed

• Keyless

• Keynesian

• Keystone

• Khaki

• Kibbled

• Kibed

• Kick-ass

• Kickable

• Kicking

• Kid

• Kid-like

• Kiddie

• Kiddish

• Kiddy

• Kidney

• Kill-joy

• Killable

• Killer

• Killing

• Kilted

• Kimbo

• Kin

• Kinaesthetic

• Kincob

• Kind

• Kinder

• Kindred

• Kindergartner

• Kindest

• Kind-hearted

• Kindled

• Kindless

• Kindling

• Kindly

• Kindness

• Kindred

• Kinematic

• Kinesthetic

• Kinetic

• King

• King-size

• King-sized

• Kingdomed

• Kingless

• Kinglike

• Kingly

• Kingy

• Kinic

• Kinky

• Kiplingesque

• Kipper

• Kirtled

• Kissable

• Kissy

• Kitchen

• Kite-like

• Kitish

• Kitschy

• Kitten-like

• Kittenish

• Kleptomaniac

• Kleptomaniacal

• Klutz

• Klutzy

• Knackered

• Knackish

• Knacky

• Knagged

• Knaggy

• Knappy

• Knarred

• Knavish

• Kneaded

• Knee-deep

• Knee-high

• Knee-jerk

• Knee-length

• Kneecap

• Kneed

• Knickknacked

• Knifelike

• Knightage

• Knightless

• Knightly

• Knitted

• Knobbed

• Knobbly

• Knobby

• Knoblike

• Knock-kneed

• Knock-on

• Knockabout

• Knockdown

• Knocked-up

• Knockout

• Knotless

• Knotted

• Knotted

• Knotty

• Knotty

• Know-it-all

• Knowable

• Knowing

• Knowledgeable

• Known

• Knuckled

• Knuckleheaded

• Knuckly

• Knurled

• Kokka

• Kolarian

• Komodo-sized

• Kookie

• Kooky

• Koranic

• Korean

• Kosher

• Kosheren

• Kosmotropic

• Kreatic

• Krumhorn

• Kufic

• Kurd

• Kurdish

• Kurilian

• Kuwaiti

• Kvetch

• Kyphotic

• Kyrgyzstani

There you have it: our full list of adjectives that start with K, whether positive, negative, or somewhere in between.

Don’t forget to run your writing through ProWritingAid to check for weaknesses and errors. The Word Explorer can help you make sure you’re using the best adjectives possible.

Good luck, and happy writing!