Big List of Adjectives That Start With I (Positive, Negative, Descriptive)

Looking for adjectives that start with I? Adjectives help us to describe the world around. They can get used in a positive or negative way. And often help us to modify expressions and sentences to fit our desired point of view or perspective.

Let’s take a look at all the adjectives in the English language that begin with the letter “I.”

List of adjectives that start with I

• Indicative – serving as a sign or indication of something
• Indirect – not directly caused by or resulting from something.
• Indisposed – in poor health
• Indisputable – not up for debate, with absolute certainty
• Inarguable – unable to be disputed 
• Inevitable – something that will come to pass eventually against all odds 
• Informal – friendly and casual way of interacting
• Industrial – relating to an industry 
• Ideographic – symbolic representations of concepts
• Idiomatic – relating to colloquial expressions
• Illiterate – unable to read or write.
• Illustrious – a noteworthy person who is famous and revered
• Interior – referring to the inner part of something 
• Internal – existing or occurring inside an institution, for example 
• Incidental – something that secondarily occurs along with something else 
• Imaginary – a figment of the imagination or fictional 
• Indefinable – something that cannot be defined by words
• Indefinite – lasting for an unknown length of time
• Indelicate – lacking sensitive understanding or being tactless
• Indentured – binding someone by an indenture as an apprentice or laborer
• Indeterminate – undefined or unspecified
• Indian – relating to the South Asian country of India
• Italian – relating to the European country of Italy
• Interactional – having an influence on each other 
• Investigative – associated with the process of investigation
• Invisible – not able to be perceived by the eye 
• Inherent – existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute
• Inheritable – capable of being inherited
• Inhibited – self-conscious or reserved
• Inoffensive – unoffending or harmless
• Inoperable – not able to be operated on or treated
• Incontrovertible – beyond a shadow of a doubt 
• Impregnable – a place or fortification which cannot be attacked or broken into
• Inaudible – unable to be heard
• Inbound – traveling inwards towards a particular location, precisely an origin
• Inbred – existing from birth
• Indefeasible – something that cannot be annulled or overturned.
• Informative – giving information that is of value or use 
• Intercultural – refers to interacting elements between different cultures 
• Implausible – unrealistic or debatable 
• Ionic – relating to ions or Ionic architecture 
• Instructive – enlightening and informative 
• Impressionist – the 19th-century art movement
• Impudent – disrespectful or cheeky
• Impugnable – subject to being discredited
• Inadvertent – without intention, accidentally
• Infinite – without limit, never-ending
• Incomplete – something that is insufficient or not whole 
• Ill-fated – unfortunate and unsuccessful 
• Indistinct – not clearly defined
• Individualized – custom-made for someone
• Inebriated – drunk or intoxicated
• Ingrained – something established and difficult to change
• Ingratiating – intended to gain approval or favor, sycophantic.
• Ingrown – something that grows into itself
• Inharmonious – lacking harmony or discordant

Descriptive adjectives that start with I

• Imbalanced – lacking balance or arrangement
• Immune – resilient to the effects of something
• Impaired – weakened or damaged
• Impeded – obstruct or hinder
• Infinitesimal – something extremely small which cannot be visibly measured 
• Intended – something that is done purposely or deliberately 
• Icelandic – a North Germanic language 
• Ideological – related to a system of ideas and theories
• Idiotic – foolish or witless
• Idle – doing nothing
• Itsy-bitsy – used to refer to tiny things like objects or insects 
• Immortal – the quality of being eternal or ageless 
• Immobile – unable to move, lacking motion
• Icebound – totally enshrined in ice 
• Illegal – forbidden by law
• Illegible – that which cannot be read clearly
• Illicit – unlawful or banned
• Illuminated – lit with bright lights
• Illusive – deceptive
• Illustrative – serving as an example or explanation.
• Infernal – Referring to hellish traits or that which resemble the underworld 
• Intransigent – not willing to accept other’s perspectives 
• Inclusive – involving everything or everyone, allowing space for the co-existence of many attributes
• Impartial – Unbiased and showing no preference
• Innate – Something that naturally exists inside someone or something
• Inky – relating to the properties of ink 
• Idolized – admire excessively
• Idyllic – extremely happy and tranquil
• Iffy – doubtful
• Ignited – set on fire
• Ignored – disregard purposely
• Imprudent – acting recklessly without caring about the consequence 
• Indecisive – not being able to make a precise decision
• Indefatigable – someone who works relentlessly 
• International – concerning activities between nations and across borders 
• Incessant – continuing ceaselessly 
• Insatiable – a voracious need or thirst that cannot be sated 
• Inefficient – failing to meet the optimal productivity level
• Intergalactic – concerned with or movement between two or more galaxies 
• Impending – something threatening to happen
• Infected – contaminated with harmful organisms
• Inferior – lower in status or quality
• Infrequent – occurring rarely
• Inlaid – a technique used in sculpture-making to adorn objects with embedded pieces of other materials
• Imperceptible – unnoticeable
• Imperfect – having defects
• Imploring – making a desperate appeal
• Imposed – force on someone
• Inborn – existing from birth
• Inclined – a sloping surface
• Inconsequential – trivial or unimportant
• Indebted – owing money
• Inert – unmoving
• Imprisoned – put in prison
• Impromptu – done without prior planning
• Improvised – create or perform spontaneously
• Impure – adulterated or mixed
• Inactive – not engaging in any activity

Positive adjectives that start with I

• Impassioned – exhibiting strong emotions or brimming with feelings 
• Invaluable – priceless, something that is too precious for a value to be attached to it 
• Illuminating – help in clarifying or explaining something.
• Imaginative – having or showing creativity or inventiveness
• Immaculate – spotless, pristine
• Impeccable – of the highest standard, flawless
• Impressive – inspiring admiration
• Inexhaustible – something in abundance that never runs out
• Iridescent – having a multicolored or rainbow-like appearance 
• Instrumental – playing an important or vital role 
• Incredible – unbelievable or impressive 
• Improvable – having scope for improvement
• Inarguable – something that cannot be disputed
• Incorruptible – not prone to corruption, honest
• Increasing – becoming greater or growing
• Indestructible – something that cannot be destroyed
• Indispensable – absolutely necessary
• Indelible – something that cannot be erased 
• Incandescent – glowing with heat 
• Infallible – faultless and incapable of doing wrong 
• Immense – massive or enormous 
• Indivisible – unable to be divided or separated
• Indomitable – impossible to subdue or defeat
• Indulgent – being generous or lenient with someone
• Industrious – hard-working
• Inexpensive – cheap
• Influential – having great power or influence
• Intrepid – fearless or undaunted 
• Inculpable – guiltfree, blameless
• Inerrant – incapable of being incorrect
• Intuitional – well-versed in prioritizing emotion or instinct over reason
• Inventive – exhibiting creativity and originality 
• Inquisitive – showing an interest in learning new things
• Inseparable – unable to be separated or treated separately
• Independent – operating without external control, self-sufficient 
• Incentivizing – providing encouragement or an incentive 
• Invigorating – bringing strength, health, and energy to something or someone 
• Inspirational – something or someone that gives inspiration
• Instant – right now
• Instinctive – done instinctually and not consciously
• Intact – not damaged or impaired in any way
• Innovator – a pioneer or pathbreaker who paves the way for others 
• Initiator – an individual or a thing that sets off something 
• Invincible – too powerful to be beaten
• Integrated – with various parts or aspects unified or linked
• Interchangeable – able to be exchanged
• Intrinsic – essential

Negative adjectives that start with I

• Inadvisable – unwise
• Inapplicable – not relevant
• Inappropriate – unsuitable or unfitting
• Inarticulate – unable to express oneself
• Incredulous – disbelieving or unconvinced 
• Incorrigible – beyond the hope for change or reformation
• Incommunicable – something that cannot be described to others 
• Immeasurable – too large to be measured
• Immodest – lacking decency
• Immovable – not able to be moved
• Impassable – blocked or obstructed
• Ichorous – a blood-coated fluid that oozes from the body 
• Incapacitated – render motionless, overpowered, completely 
• Incapable – lacking the ability to do something 
• Insufferable – too much to bear or endure 
• Improper – not meeting the accepted standards
• Inaccessible – out of reach
• Inaccurate – wrong or faulty
• Inadequate – deficient or scanty
• Inadmissible – unacceptable
• Impish – wicked or devilish in nature 
• Icy – having cold or ice-like properties 
• Irresolute – showing hesitancy or uncertainty 
• Implacable – not able to be pacified or appeased
• Ill – unwell or in poor health 
• Impossible – unable to happen or exist
• Impractical – not sensible or realistic
• Imprecise – vague or non-specific
• Improbable – doubtful or debatable
• Imbecilic – referring to the behavior of imbeciles or stupid people 
• Impoverished – extremely poor or destitute 
• Inane – senseless or silly 
• Illusionary – relating to illusions or something that is deceptive in nature 
• Inhospitable – unfriendly and uninviting, lacking warmth 
• Impatient – easily irritated or annoyed
• Impenetrable – impossible to pass through or enter
• Impetuous – done quickly and thoughtlessly
• Implosive – having a tendency to implode
• Irregular – not having an even or uniform structure 
• Irresponsible – careless or misguided behavior 
• Incongruous – something that is out of place or not in harmony 
• Inattentive – preoccupied or distracted
• Incompetent – unskilled or unprofessional
• Insecure – lacking confidence
• Insignificant – trivial or unimportant
• Insulting – disrespectful
• Illogical – unreasonable or groundless
• Immoral – unethical
• Impassive – not displaying emotion
• Impersonal – unprejudiced or unbiased
• Insensitive – not considering others’ feelings
• Insipid – tasteless or bland
• Intolerant – not having tolerance for a view, belief or behavior that is different from one’s own
• Irate – furious
• Irreverent – lacking respect
• Irritable – bad-tempered
• Ineffectual – not giving the desired effect
• Indecent – obscene or rude
• Inflexible – not willing to change or compromise
• Infuriating – extremely angry

Adjectives that start with I to describe a person

• Incomparable – His mathematical prowess was incomparable to any of his contemporaries. 
• Intriguing – A tip to becoming an intriguing person is to always have a book on hand. Knowledge never goes out of style. 
• Idiosyncratic
• Irrational – Modern parents are not irrational like old ones. They value their children’s happiness above all else. 
• Involved – Even though he was dyslexic, he was always involved in the activities in the class with great zeal. 
• Insincere – My best friend tends to come across as insincere because she has trouble opening up to people.
• Ignorant – Sofia seemed ignorant at first glance, but she was a cunning schemer.
• Insistent – The commanding officer was insistent that we report by 6 o’clock.
• Insurrectional – The police initiated a crackdown on the insurrectional mob.
• Intelligent – The frailty of genius is that no matter how intelligent you are, you will always desire the company to show off your intellect.
• Intense – The fitness instructor was pretty intense to deal with – he asked beginners to do hardcore workouts on their first day.
• Intersex – The author identified as an intersex person and has made a significant contribution to LGBTQ+ literature. 
• Impactful – Mahatma Gandhi still remains to be an impactful leader whose lessons inspire millions of people around the world. 
• Idealistic – I grew up reading romance novels which shaped me into an idealistic person who always has her head in the clouds. 
• Interrogative – Our security guard takes his job too seriously and is thoroughly interrogative of anyone or anything that tries to get through our doors. 
• Infantile – The rates affecting infantile diseases has significantly reduced due to the advent of medicine.
• Infatuated – I’ve always been infatuated with the idea of never having a child and spending all my fortune on traveling around the world.
• Immersive – The writer was famous for creating immersive characters that were rooted in reality and had the ability to pull you into their vividly fantastical worlds. 
• Irresistible – I fell in love with her at first sight. She possessed an irresistible charm, and I was all too happy to give in. 
• Impolite – Impolite students of today who are left unchecked turn into extremely rude adults. 
• Indiscreet – Peter moved like a cat about to catch its prey: indiscreet and lithe.
• Indiscriminate – The patient was admonished for his indiscriminate use of sleeping pills.
• Individualistic – Western populations are characterized by individualistic goals, whereas Asian ones give priority to a collective lifestyle.
• Ireful – The ireful persona of my father was enough to send my heart flying to my stomach. 
• Imperial – Queen Elizabeth II lives on as an unforgettable personality among British imperial figures. 
• Identical – She was blessed with identical triplets after waiting for years. 
• Introspective
• Individual – Every individual in the club was encouraged to voice out their opinions. 
• Intimate – Emily Dickinson and her best friend Sue had an intimate friendship that was often speculated to be something more by literary experts. 
• Impulsive – I’m quite impulsive when it comes to splurging on retail therapy after a bad day.
• Improving – It’s okay if you fall down. What matters is that you get back up, try again and keep improving. 
• Infamous – The CEO was infamous for money laundering and duping millions of his customers. 
• Ingenious – The scientist came up with an ingenious test that could detect a rare type of cancer in babies.
• Innovative – The founding father of the brand is hailed as an innovative pioneer in the field of Swiss haute horology.
• Inquisitorial – Her chilly, inquisitorial voice scared the poor child.

Example sentences using adjectives that start with “I”

• Aziraphale and Crowley from the hit drama Good Omens are lovingly called the “ineffable husbands” by fans because they are eccentric individuals with great chemistry. 
• The insolent child refused to leave the supermarket until his mom bought him an expensive Spiderman suit. 
• Sherlock Holmes’s intellectual and enigmatic persona is what has made him the most famous fictional detective in the world. 
• She had an intricate eye for detail, which made her the best-skilled fashion designer in her field. 
• The librarian loved her job and never ran out of recommendations to give to the children. They all thought she was the most interesting person in the school. 
• The headmistress had an intimidating demeanor and an icy personality that was not to be trifled with. 
• The mother felt indescribable joy to be holding the newborn in her arms. 
• The three ignoble brothers had a rough upbringing and turned to thievery to feed themselves. 
• In ancient times, there was nothing more inglorious than a woman who had a child out of wedlock. 
• My father is driven by inductive reasoning rather than emotion, as he is a rational person.  
• There was something abnormal about her angry outbursts. Her violently inciting and explosive episodes bordered on hysteria. 
• Since I was a newbie at my job, I was made to deal with the most irritating customers who talked for hours on end. 
• A good way to handle irksome students is by making them class monitors to instill a sense of responsibility in them. 
• Public speaking is not a career where introverted people can thrive. They excel more in creative fields that require back-end jobs.  
• Unlike my siblings, I am a sound sleeper who is luckily impervious to the loudest of noises.  
• Children were rushed to the hospital after a local monkeypox outbreak with complaints of itchy skin and suspicious lesions.  
• The criminal targeted impressionable teens and made them sell drugs by enticing them with lucrative promises.  
• The old man was incoherent after the accident, even though he suffered no injuries. 
• I have an outstanding work-life balance, and I rarely get stressed out. Both areas of my life are disconnected from each other, and I am indifferent to any external pressure. 
• I tried to prove that I was innocent and had no hand in the domestic drama brewing in the family, but my parents still blamed me. 
• The old man who lived at the edge of the hill seemed scary, but he was an innocuous beekeeper who loved handing out jars of honey to the kids. 
• The intruder was inconspicuous and hid among the furniture in plain sight. 
• I decided the only way to avoid my toxic ex-boyfriend was to lead an incognito existence and delete all my social media accounts.  
• The police nabbed the convict based on his identifiable tattoos described by the witnesses. 
• I wish I had the courage to tell my family I loved inspiring people and wanted to become a political leader but sadly, they wanted me to take over the family business. 
• The psychiatrist who delivered a lecture to the university was highly insightful and raised awareness of the importance of mental health and preventing student suicides. 
• After living in the woods for a week without showering, I was starting to feel icky.  
• Illegal encroachment of land in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has led to the loss of habitat for indigenous people and endangered tribes.
• No one expected that the King’s illegitimate son would one day sit on the throne. 
• The Korean supergroup BTS has emerged as an iconic and irrefutable example of Asian representation in mainstream pop culture of the 21st century.
• My great-grandmother was soon becoming insane and constantly waking up due to her hallucinations. 

Adjectives that start with “I” (images)

Other adjective lists

Other lists of adjectives:

• Adjectives that start with A
• Adjectives that start with B
• Adjectives that start with C
• Adjectives that start with D
• Adjectives that start with E
• Adjectives that start with F
• Adjectives that start with G
• Adjectives that start with H
• Adjectives that start with I
• Adjectives that start with J
• Adjectives that start with K
• Adjectives that start with L
• Adjectives that start with M
• Adjectives that start with N
• Adjectives that start with O
• Adjectives that start with P
• Adjectives that start with Q
• Adjectives that start with R
• Adjectives that start with S
• Adjectives that start with T
• Adjectives that start with U
• Adjectives that start with V
• Adjectives that start with W
• Adjectives that start with X
• Adjectives that start with Y
• Adjectives that start with Z