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278 Adjectives That Start With P

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P leans harder on Latin than almost any other letter. 82 of the 278 adjectives below begin pre-, pro- or per- — not all of them from the Latin prefixes meaning before, forward and through, since pretty is Germanic and protean is Greek, but most. That is why the letter holds so many near-neighbours a writer has to choose between: prescriptive and proscriptive are one prefix apart and close to opposites.

This page lists 278 adjectives that start with P, sorted by the job you need one for. Each one was checked against Merriam-Webster or Oxford for an adjective entry of its own. Thirty of them end in -ed or -ing — parched, polished, poised — and they are here because each has its own adjective entry, not merely a verb it came from.

The last section collects the formal, technical and literary words. Registers are marked throughout where a dictionary marks them, so a word with no label beside it is ordinary English — and one with disapproving beside it will insult somebody whether or not you meant to.

All 278 adjectives at a glance

Every word on this page in one block. Each is defined further down.

pained, painful, painstaking, palatable, palatial, pale, palliative, pallid, palpable, panic-stricken, panicky, panoramic, papery, paradigmatic, parallel, paranoid, parched, parental, parlous, parsimonious, partial, particular, passionate, passive, past, pastel, pastoral, pasty, patchy, paternalistic, pathetic, patient, patronizing, paunchy, peaceable, peaceful, peachy, peaked, pearlescent, pearly, peaty, pebbly, peckish, pecuniary, pedantic, peevish, pellucid, pendulous, penetrating, penitent, pensive, pent-up, penurious, peppery, peppy, perceptive, percipient, percussive, perdurable, peremptory, perfect, perfidious, perfunctory, peripatetic, perky, permanent, permeable, permissive, pernicious, perpendicular, perplexed, persistent, persnickety, personal, perspicacious, perspicuous, persuasive, pert, pertinacious, perturbed, pervasive, perverse, pessimistic, pestilential, petite, petrified, petty, petulant, philanthropic, philosophical, phlegmatic, phosphorescent, physical, picayune, picky, picturesque, piebald, pied, piercing, pigheaded, pillowy, pimply, pinched, pinkish, pious, piquant, pitch-black, piteous, pithy, pitiable, pitiful, pitiless, pitted, pitying, placid, plain, plainspoken, plaintive, planar, plangent, plastic, plausible, playful, pleasant, pleased, pleasurable, plenary, plenipotentiary, pliable, pliant, plucky, plummy, plump, plush, pneumatic, pockmarked, poignant, pointed, pointy, poised, poky, polemical, polished, polite, politic, political, polychrome, pompous, ponderous, pooped, poor, popular, porous, portentous, portly, positive, possessive, possible, posthumous, postprandial, potable, potbellied, potential, powdery, powerful, powerless, practicable, practical, pragmatic, prayerful, precarious, precatory, precipitate, precipitous, precise, precocious, predatory, predictable, prefatory, prehensile, prejudiced, prejudicial, premonitory, preoccupied, preponderant, prepossessing, prescient, prescriptive, present, presumptive, presumptuous, pretentious, preternatural, pretty, previous, prickly, prideful, priggish, prim, primary, prime, primordial, principal, principled, prismatic, prissy, pristine, private, privative, proactive, probable, probative, prodigal, prodigious, productive, profane, professional, proficient, profligate, profound, progressive, prolific, prolix, prominent, promiscuous, promissory, prompt, proper, propitious, proprietary, prosaic, proscriptive, protean, protective, protuberant, proud, provident, provocative, proximate, prudent, prudential, prudish, prurient, prying, public, puckery, puckish, pudgy, puerile, puffy, pugnacious, puissant, pulchritudinous, pulpy, pumped, punchy, punctilious, punctual, pungent, punitive, puny, purblind, pure, purgative, puritanical, purple, purplish, purposeful, purulent, pushy, pusillanimous, put-upon, putative, putrescent, putrid, puzzled, puzzling, pyramidal

Positive

Praise-side words, though a few carry a sting in the right sentence — precocious is regularly an accusation, and placid can mean dull. Prescient and perceptive are the pair worth separating: the first saw it coming, the second sees what is in front of it.

Adjective What it means
patient able to wait or bear trouble calmly, without complaining
peaceable unwilling to quarrel or fight; easy to get along with
peppy full of energy — informal and chiefly American, said of music, an engine or a performance as readily as of a person
perceptive quick to notice what others miss
perfect without a single fault or defect; nothing left to fix
philanthropic giving money and effort to help those in need
placid calm and not easily disturbed
plainspoken saying what you mean without dressing it up
playful full of fun, joking rather than in earnest
pleasant agreeable in a mild, everyday way — a pleasant afternoon; of a person, friendly and easy company
pleased satisfied with how something turned out, whoever brought it about
pleasurable giving a felt, often sensory enjoyment
plucky brave and game in the face of long odds
polite showing good manners and consideration toward other people
precocious developed earlier than the years would suggest
prescient seeming to know what is coming before anyone else does
principled acting from firm beliefs about right and wrong, even when costly
proficient well advanced in a skill through training and real experience
prolific producing a great deal, whatever its quality
provident thrifty now so that later needs are already covered
prudent sensibly cautious about the future
pumped keyed up and eager, buzzing with excitement before something
punctual arriving or acting exactly at the agreed time, never late
purposeful acting with a clear aim in mind; deliberate and determined

Negative

Criticism-side words. The letter is unusually well supplied with names for small-mindedness: picayune is about scale, priggish about self-righteousness, prissy about being easily shocked. Two more sit in the Personality section, because they describe a settled disposition rather than a verdict: petty and pedantic.

Adjective What it means
pained hurt, and letting it show in your face or voice
painful causing hurt, whether to the body or the feelings
panic-stricken seized by panic at this moment — reason gone, and usually flight or frantic action with it
panicky prone to panic, or on the edge of it — nervy, easily flustered, but not yet overwhelmed
parlous dangerously bad, and liable to get worse at any moment
pathetic sad enough to stir sympathy; or hopelessly feeble and inadequate
pernicious doing serious harm, often quietly and out of sight
pestilential carrying deadly disease; or maddeningly annoying
picayune trifling in size or value
pitiable wretched enough to deserve pity, or to invite contempt
pitiful so feeble or inadequate that it invites contempt
pitiless showing no mercy and no sign of relenting
poky cramped and dingy, of a room; or annoyingly slow
pompous solemn and self-important in bearing and speech — inflated ceremony, typically in someone with a little authority
powerless unable to act or change anything, however much you want to
prejudiced holding an unreasonable dislike or bias, especially against a group
presumptuous taking a liberty you have no right to take
pretentious claiming an importance, taste or depth you do not have — the fault is the false claim, however quietly it is made
prideful guilty of excessive or sinful pride — a moralizing word, at home in sermons and older writing rather than everyday speech
priggish self-righteous, and quick to show up other people’s lapses
prissy fussily correct, and easily shocked
profligate squandering without any restraint at all, and, of a person, dissolute in conduct as well as with money
puerile childish; or so silly and immature that it embarrasses adults
puny small and weak, and not worth taking seriously
putrid rotted right through and stinking of it; or simply awful

Personality

Disposition and habit, where the tone depends on the sentence. Pragmatic is praise in a business memo and a complaint in a eulogy; petty and pedantic name two different ways of caring about the wrong things.

Adjective What it means
paranoid convinced, without real grounds, that others mean you harm
passionate feeling and showing emotion fiercely — in love, anger or belief
passive letting things happen to you without acting or pushing back
patronizing talking down to people as if they were slower than you
pedantic parading rules and book-learning — correcting others on points of accuracy that make no difference to the sense
peevish chronically irritable — querulous and complaining, as in prolonged illness or discomfort
penitent genuinely sorry for a wrong, and showing it
pensive thoughtful in a quiet, faintly melancholy way — the look of someone musing over something
perky cheerfully brisk and rather satisfied with itself
permissive letting people do much as they like, often too freely
persnickety fussy over details, in a way that irritates
pert impudently forward in speech — cheeky in a way that amuses more than it offends; of features or clothes, neat and saucy
perverse deliberately going against what is right or reasonable
pessimistic expecting things to turn out badly
petty small-minded, and exercised by things that do not matter
petulant flaring into a brief sulk when crossed — a sudden childish display, over as quickly as it came
phlegmatic unexcitable by constitution — taking bad news with the same flat steadiness as good (from the old theory of the humours)
picky rejecting most of what is offered over small objections — informal, and nearly always a complaint (a picky eater)
pigheaded stupidly obstinate — holding a position out of sheer stubbornness, against argument and evidence alike
pious devout — reverent and observant in religion; also, of a hope or a fraud, virtuous only in appearance
possessive clinging to someone and unwilling to let them be independent
pragmatic judging by what will work rather than by principle — chiefly of policy and negotiation, and implying principle was set aside
prayerful given to prayer, or in the attitude of prayer — describing an occasion, a tone or a posture rather than a whole character
preoccupied with attention already taken by a concern, so you miss what is going on in front of you
prim stiffly formal in manner, speech and dress, keeping everything correct and buttoned up
proactive moving first to shape events rather than waiting to respond
promiscuous having many sexual partners; or mixing all sorts without distinction
proud swollen with self-regard; or warmly satisfied by what you achieved
prudish treating sex and the body as improper — offended by frankness about them, and disapproving of anyone freer
prying nosily digging into things that are none of your business
puckish mischievous in a light, teasing way, fond of small tricks
pugnacious always ready for a fight or an argument
punctilious exact about the smallest points of correct behaviour
puritanical holding to a harsh code of self-denial, especially about pleasure — about the code itself, and named for the Puritans
pushy too forward in getting what you want, and it grates

Physical appearance

Build, colour, skin and surface. Five of these describe carrying extra weight — plump, portly, pudgy, paunchy, potbellied — and they differ mostly in how unkind they are. Plump is the only one that can pass as a compliment; the dictionaries mark two of the others disapproving.

Adjective What it means
palatial huge, grand and richly fitted out, like a royal residence
pale light in colour, or with less colour in the face than usual
pallid drained of colour and looking unwell; or feeble and lacking force
papery thin, dry and crackly like paper
pastel made with soft chalky crayons; or soft and light in colour
pasty dough-coloured and unwholesome-looking, of skin that never sees sun; separately, thick and glue-like in texture
paunchy thickened and slack around the waist, with the soft spread of middle age
peaked having a peak or point; separately, in North American use, looking unwell
pearlescent shimmering with a sheen that shifts colour as light moves
pearly milky white and gently glossy, as on teeth or buttons
petite small and neatly built, said of a woman’s figure
picturesque charming to look at, like a scene worth painting
piebald patched in black and white — used above all of horses
pied of two or more colours in patches, and typically black and white
pimply covered in small raised spots, especially on the face
pinched thin and drawn from cold or worry; also short of money
pinkish tinged with a light rosy red
pitted marked with small hollows or dents, usually from corrosion, wear or weather; of fruit, with the stone taken out
plump rounded and well-filled out, in a way meant kindly
pockmarked scarred by pocks — the cratering disease leaves on skin, and by extension a surface that looks the same way
pointy tapering to a noticeably sharp tip, as ears, hats or shoes
portly comfortably stout and thick around the middle, usually said of men
potbellied having a distinctly round, protruding stomach — the shape, also used of stoves, jars and other bulging objects
powdery made of, or crumbling into, fine dry dust
prepossessing attractive enough to win people over at first sight
pretty nice to look at in a light, delicate way
prickly covered in sharp little spines; or quick to take offense
prismatic splitting light into the colours of the spectrum
protuberant bulging outward from the surrounding surface
pudgy short and thick with soft flesh, spelt podgy in British use
puffy swollen and soft-looking, especially eyes, a face, or clouds
pulchritudinous strikingly beautiful in body, said in a heavy bookish word
purple of a colour between red and blue; or of writing, overwrought
purplish carrying a faint reddish-blue tinge
pyramidal shaped like a broad square base narrowing to a point

Manner and circumstance

How a thing is done, or where it stands in a sequence — the words that describe an action rather than the person performing it: perfunctory, precipitate, painstaking.

Adjective What it means
painstaking done slowly and thoroughly, with care over every small detail
paternalistic looking after people while denying them any say in their lives
perfunctory done as a formality, with no care behind it
persuasive good at winning others round to a view or action
pithy saying a great deal in very few words, and landing it
pitying showing sorrow for someone, often with a whiff of condescension
poised held still but ready to move; also, calm and self-assured
ponderous so heavy it moves slowly; or dull and laboured in style
posthumous happening or awarded after the person has died
precarious held so insecurely that it could give way at any moment
precipitate acting or done too suddenly — rash, taken without the thought the case needed
prejudicial likely to do harm, especially to someone’s case or standing
prescriptive laying down rules for how things should be done
previous coming before the one in question — any earlier one in a sequence, not necessarily the nearest
prompt quick to act, and done without delay
propitious kindly disposed toward you; or promising a good outcome ahead
provocative meant to stir up anger, argument or desire
punchy hitting hard — of writing or delivery, vigorous and immediately effective; of a person, dazed and groggy from blows
put-upon landed with more than your share, and feeling it

Everyday and descriptive

The plain working vocabulary — objects, time, quantity, condition. The largest section on the page, and the one to start from: these are the words you will actually reach for.

Adjective What it means
palatable tasty enough to enjoy eating; or easy to accept
palpable obvious enough to feel, not just infer; or genuinely touchable
panoramic taking in a wide, unbroken view stretching in every direction
parallel running side by side at an unchanging distance; or closely matching
parched dried out and cracking from heat; or badly needing a drink
parental belonging to or coming from a mother or father
partial covering only a part, not the whole; or inclined to favour one side
particular this one specifically, not any other; or fussy and hard to satisfy
past gone by in time; over and finished
pastoral of shepherds and idealised country life; also of clergy and their care of a congregation
patchy there in some places, missing in others; uneven in quality
peaceful free from conflict or disturbance — of a place or period without war or unrest, and of protest that stays non-violent
peachy a soft orange-rose colour; or, casually, absolutely fine
peaty made of dark spongy bog earth; or smoky with its flavour
pebbly strewn with small smooth stones, or bumpy like their surface
peckish a little bit hungry, ready for a snack
penetrating getting through what would normally stop it — of cold, damp or a smell; of a mind or question, reaching the heart of the matter
pent-up held in and not let out — anger, energy, longing
peppery tasting of pepper — hot and biting on the tongue; of a person, quick-tempered
permanent meant to last indefinitely, with no end planned
permeable allowing passage through it — the technical term for a membrane, soil or border that fails to act as a barrier
perpendicular standing exactly upright; or set at a right angle to something
perplexed unable to make sense of it, and showing the strain
persistent keeping on despite discouragement; or continuing over a long period
personal belonging to one individual rather than to an institution
perturbed unsettled and anxious because something has gone wrong
pervasive spread through every corner of something, felt everywhere
petrified rigid with fear — too frightened to move or speak; also, of wood, turned to stone over ages by mineral replacement
philosophical meeting misfortune with calm acceptance because you take the long view of it; also, to do with philosophy
physical to do with the body, or with solid material things
piercing sharp enough to hurt at once — of a scream or whistle, painfully shrill; of a stare, uncomfortably direct
pillowy soft and deep enough to sink your hand into
piquant sharp and appetizing in flavour; also engagingly lively
pitch-black so dark you cannot see your own hand
plain simple and undecorated; also easy to see or understand
plaintive sounding sad and mournful
plastic made of plastic; or soft enough to be moulded and hold the shape
plausible believable on the face of it, though maybe not true
pliable bending easily without breaking; or easily influenced
pliant supple and yielding; or readily swayed by others
plummy full of dark stone fruit; or, of a voice, richly upper-class
plush richly comfortable and expensive-looking, in a soft-furnished way
pneumatic worked by compressed air, or filled with it
poignant sharply moving, with an ache of sadness in it
pointed aimed unmistakably at someone — of a remark, question or silence; also, in shape, brought to a point
polished rubbed smooth and shining; or, of a skill, flawlessly assured
political to do with government and who rules; or manoeuvring for advantage
pooped worn out with nothing left in the tank
poor having little money; or of low quality
popular liked by a lot of people; or aimed at a general audience
porous full of small holes that let water or air pass through
positive good and useful; or certain, with no room left for doubt
possible able to happen or be done, even if unlikely
potential not yet real, but able to become so under the right conditions
powerful having great force, authority or effect
practicable able to be carried out with the means actually at hand
practical to do with actual use and doing — a practical skill, a practical solution; of a person, capable with real tasks
precipitous dangerously steep, like a cliff face; of a fall in numbers or value, correspondingly sheer
precise sharply and exactly stated, leaving no room for vagueness
predatory living by hunting other animals; or exploiting people ruthlessly
predictable able to be foretold; or dull because it never surprises
present happening now; or here in the room rather than absent
primary earliest in time or development; also first in rank or worth
prime first in importance — the leading case or instance (prime suspect, prime example); of meat and produce, of the top grade
principal largest or most important of a set, as ranked against the others (the principal cause, the principal city)
pristine in its original untouched state; or spotlessly clean and new-looking
private kept from others, and not open to general knowledge or entry
probable likely on the evidence, though well short of certain
productive yielding a good return for the effort or resources put in — of land, work or a meeting; the opposite of wasted
professional belonging to a trained, qualified line of work; or done for pay
profound reaching deep insight and understanding; or felt at full intensity
progressive backing reform and new methods; or advancing steadily stage by stage
prominent standing out enough to be noticed — of a feature, a position on a page, or a person of note
proper right and correct for the occasion; also strictly respectable in conduct
proprietary owned by one firm under exclusive legal right, not shared
prosaic matter-of-fact rather than poetic; dull and short on imagination
protective acting to keep someone or something safe from harm
public belonging to or affecting everyone in a community, not one individual
puckery drawn into small wrinkles; or so sour it tightens the mouth
pulpy soft, wet and easily crushed, like the flesh of ripe fruit
pungent strong and sharp to the nose above all — a smell that catches in the nostrils; of criticism, caustic
pure unmixed with anything else; also free of moral fault
puzzled unable to work out the answer
puzzling hard to explain or account for; it leaves onlookers stumped

Formal, technical and rare

Words you will meet in reading more often than you will use in writing: the formal register, the technical vocabularies, and a few that survive mainly in older prose.

Adjective What it means
palliative easing symptoms and distress without curing the underlying cause
paradigmatic serving as the model example that others get measured against
parsimonious stingy by habit, giving as little as it can get away with
pecuniary measured in money — the word courts and contracts use
pellucid transparently clear — literally, of water, glass or air you can see straight through; of a style, limpid and unlaboured
pendulous hanging down loosely and swinging free
penurious destitute; or so grudging with money that it shows
percipient quick to perceive and discern, especially what is not obvious
percussive made by striking, with a hard drum-like knock
perdurable built to outlive almost everything around it; enduring on and on
peremptory cutting off all argument; in law, ending a right to object
perfidious breaking faith with someone who trusted you
peripatetic travelling from place to place, especially to work at several in turn
perspicacious shrewd, with sharp judgement of people and situations
perspicuous clearly and exactly worded, so the meaning lands at once
pertinacious clinging to an aim or opinion and refusing to let go
phosphorescent glowing faintly in the dark without giving off heat
piteous of a kind to move you to pity
planar flat, lying entirely within one geometric surface
plangent ringing out loudly and deeply, often with a sad edge
plenary unqualified and entire — of powers, authority or an indulgence; also, of a session, one that all members attend
plenipotentiary of an envoy or ambassador, invested with full power to negotiate and sign on a government’s behalf
polemical written or spoken as a fierce attack on a view
politic shrewd and tactful; the smart move in the circumstances
polychrome made or decorated in many colours rather than one
portentous heavy with ominous significance; and, more often today, pompously solemn and self-important in manner
postprandial coming just after a meal, as in a walk or nap
potable safe to drink, said of water and other liquids
precatory expressing a wish or request, not a binding order
prefatory coming first, to set up what follows
prehensile able to grip and curl around things, like a monkey’s tail
premonitory giving advance notice — of a symptom, twinge or feeling that warns of what is about to happen
preponderant outweighing everything else in number, force or influence
presumptive taken to be so until something proves otherwise
preternatural existing outside the ordinary order of things; uncannily beyond human limits
primordial dating from the origin of the world; there before everything else
privative marking the absence or removal of a quality, as un- does
probative serving to test something; in court, tending to establish a fact
prodigal spending lavishly and wastefully, with no thought for tomorrow
prodigious astonishing in size or degree; enough to cause wonder
profane not sacred, belonging to ordinary life; or crudely irreverent in speech
prolix drawn out far too long, choked with unnecessary words
promissory conveying or implying a promise — of words, a tone or a document that pledges something
proscriptive acting to forbid or outlaw, laying down what is banned
protean able to shift shape, role or style again and again
proximate nearest in a chain — chiefly of causes, the one closest to the effect (proximate cause), as against a remote one
prudential governed by prudence rather than by rule
prurient showing an itchy, unwholesome interest in sex
puissant mighty — an archaic and literary word, used of princes, arms and nations
punitive meant to make someone suffer for a wrong; harshly severe
purblind able to see only dimly; or slow to see the obvious
purgative causing the bowels to empty; a strong laxative effect
purulent oozing thick yellow matter, as an infected wound does
pusillanimous too timid to take a risk or make a stand
putative widely assumed to be so, though never actually proved
putrescent in the act of rotting, and starting to smell

Using them in a sentence

A list is only half the job. These show the words carrying weight rather than sitting decoratively in front of a noun.

  • A perfunctory apology from a peremptory manager, and the meeting moved on.
  • The room was plush, the welcome polite, and neither was warm.
  • He was plucky on the first attempt and merely pigheaded by the fourth.
  • A pithy summary of a prolix report is worth more than either.
  • She looked pale and pinched, and was entirely placid about it.
  • The evidence was palpable, the argument plausible, and the verdict predictable.

Words people get wrong

Pair The difference that matters
prescriptive / proscriptive One prefix apart and close to opposites. Prescriptive lays down what must be done; proscriptive forbids. A prescriptive rule says write whom after a preposition; a proscriptive one says never end a sentence with a preposition. Both are on this page. Note that the usual opposite of prescriptive in writing about language is descriptive, not proscriptive.
perspicacious / perspicuous Merriam-Webster records this as a genuine confusion. Perspicacious describes a person of acute discernment; perspicuous describes writing or an explanation that is plainly clear. A perspicacious reader is sharp; a perspicuous paragraph is easy. Both are on this page.
practicable / practical Practicable means it can be done at all — a practicable route. Practical means concerned with action rather than theory, or capable of being put to use. The two overlap, which is why they are confused; the useful test is that a plan can be practicable and still not worth doing.
principal / principle Principal as an adjective means first in importance; as a noun it is the head of a school, or the capital sum of a loan, and that noun is where most of the confusion starts. Principle is only ever a noun — a rule or a belief. The mnemonic that works: a principle is a rule, and both end the same way.
prostrate / prostate Neither is on this page and both cause trouble. Prostrate means lying face down, or overcome. Prostate is the gland, and in medical writing it is also an adjective. The extra r is the whole difference, and no spellchecker will catch it.

Checked against Merriam-Webster, the Chicago Manual of Style and the AP Stylebook. Spotted an error? Tell us — see our editorial policy.

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