The right word, in context
Adjectives that start with N
Nice, new, narrow, nervous, nimble and noteworthy are adjectives that start with N. Some praise a quality; others describe a size, place, feeling or problem.
Find a word that says what you actually mean. Browse 60 adjectives below, with plain meanings, example sentences and a guide to their tone.
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60 N adjectives, with meanings and examples
A–Z orderSearch for a word or what you want to describe. The tone label refers to the meaning and sentence shown—not every possible use of the word.
Showing 60 of 60 adjectives
| Adjective | Meaning | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Naivenegative | Too inexperienced or trusting to notice a problem. Also spelled naïve. Usually a criticism of judgment, not intelligence. | Example“I was naive to accept the offer without reading the agreement.” |
| Nakedneutral | Without a usual covering. | Example“The storm left the branches naked against the sky.” |
| Namelessneutral | Without a known or stated name. | Example“A nameless island appeared on the old map.” |
| Narrowneutral | Having little width. | Example“A narrow path ran between the two gardens.” |
| Narrow-mindednegative | Unwilling to consider ideas different from your own. | Example“His narrow-minded response ended the discussion before it began.” |
| Nasalneutral | Relating to the nose or a voice with sound resonating through it. | Example“The recording gave his voice a nasal quality.” |
| Nastynegative | Very unpleasant, unkind or disagreeable. | Example“She received a nasty message after the meeting.” |
| Nationalneutral | Relating to a whole country. | Example“The results were published in a national newspaper.” |
| Nativeneutral | Originating in a particular place. | Example“We planted shrubs native to the region.” |
| Naturalneutral | Existing without being made artificially. Can be approving in another sense, as in “a natural performer.” | Example“The room gets plenty of natural light.” |
| Nauseatingnegative | Making someone feel sick or strongly disgusted. | Example“A nauseating smell drifted from the blocked drain.” |
| Nauseousnegative | Feeling as though you might vomit. This describes an unpleasant physical feeling, not someone's character. | Example“I felt nauseous after the rough ferry crossing.” |
| Nauticalneutral | Connected with boats, sailing or navigation at sea. | Example“The café displayed nautical charts on its walls.” |
| Navalneutral | Connected with a country's military ships and forces. | Example“The museum houses a collection of naval uniforms.” |
| Nearneutral | Close in distance. | Example“We waited at the near end of the platform.” |
| Nearbyneutral | A short distance away. | Example“A nearby shop sold replacement batteries.” |
| Neatpositive | Tidy and carefully arranged. | Example“Her neat handwriting made the notes easy to follow.” |
| Nebulousnegative | Too vague to be clearly understood. Formal; it can also describe something resembling a cloud. | Example“The proposal offered only a nebulous plan for paying the costs.” |
| Necessaryneutral | Needed for a particular purpose. | Example“Please bring the necessary documents to your appointment.” |
| Needlessnegative | Not needed and best avoided. | Example“The extra approval step caused needless delay.” |
| Needynegative | Wanting more attention or reassurance than someone wishes to give. Can sound judgmental. In a different sense, it refers to lacking basic necessities. | Example“He worried that another message would sound needy.” |
| Nefariousnegative | Deliberately wicked or criminal. Formal; stronger than simply “bad.” | Example“The detective uncovered a nefarious scheme to steal donations.” |
| Negativenegative | Expressing criticism or an unfavorable judgment. In a medical test or mathematics, “negative” has a different meaning and need not be bad. | Example“The reviewer gave a negative assessment of the service.” |
| Neglectednegative | Not given the care or attention needed. | Example“We restored a neglected garden behind the school.” |
| Negligentnegative | Failing to take proper care or fulfill a responsibility. | Example“The negligent caretaker left the gate unlocked.” |
| Negligibleneutral | So small that it makes little practical difference. | Example“The two routes had a negligible difference in length.” |
| Neighborlypositive | Friendly and helpful toward people who live nearby. British spelling: neighbourly. | Example“It was a neighborly gesture to bring their bins in.” |
| Nervousnegative | Worried or uneasy about what may happen. A temporary feeling is not a fixed personality trait. | Example“I felt nervous before introducing myself to the group.” |
| Newneutral | Recently made, obtained or introduced. | Example“The library has a new booking system.” |
| Nicepositive | Pleasant, kind or agreeable. | Example“It was nice of you to wait for me.” |
| Niftypositive | Cleverly useful or appealing. Informal. | Example“This nifty clip keeps the cable within reach.” |
| Nimblepositive | Able to move quickly and lightly. | Example“The nimble dancer crossed the stage in a few steps.” |
| Noblepositive | Showing an admirable moral purpose. This is the moral sense, not the separate sense relating to aristocracy. | Example“Sharing the prize money was a noble gesture.” |
| Nocturnalneutral | Active or happening during the night. | Example“The camera recorded several nocturnal animals.” |
| Noisynegative | Making a lot of unwanted sound. The same amount of sound may be welcome at a celebration. | Example“A noisy fan interrupted the recording.” |
| Nomadicneutral | Moving between places instead of settling permanently. | Example“Their nomadic lifestyle involved frequent moves.” |
| Nominalneutral | Very small in amount, especially for a charge. It can also mean existing in name rather than in practice. | Example“Members pay a nominal fee to use the workshop.” |
| Nonchalantneutral | Appearing relaxed and unconcerned. May suggest reassuring calm or a lack of concern, depending on context. | Example“She gave a nonchalant shrug and carried on reading.” |
| Noncommittalneutral | Avoiding a definite opinion or promise. | Example“His noncommittal reply left the date undecided.” |
| Nondescriptneutral | Without features that make it easy to notice or remember. Often mildly dismissive; it is not a compliment about appearance. | Example“The office occupied a nondescript building by the station.” |
| Nonjudgmentalpositive | Willing to listen without quickly criticizing or condemning. | Example“A nonjudgmental listener gave her room to explain.” |
| Nonplussedneutral | So puzzled or surprised that you do not know how to respond. Some US usage means unbothered instead. Choose “puzzled” or “unfazed” when clarity matters. | Example“He looked nonplussed when the audience started singing.” |
| Nonsensicalnegative | Not making sense. | Example“The mismatched labels produced a nonsensical set of instructions.” |
| Nonstopneutral | Continuing without a break or an intermediate stop. | Example“We booked a nonstop flight to avoid changing planes.” |
| Nonverbalneutral | Expressed through gestures or other signals rather than words. | Example“A nod provided a simple nonverbal answer.” |
| Normalneutral | Usual or expected in a particular situation. Avoid using this as a judgment about whether a person belongs. | Example“The trains returned to their normal timetable.” |
| Northerlyneutral | Coming from, moving toward or situated toward the north. | Example“A northerly wind brought cooler weather.” |
| Northernneutral | In or relating to the north of a place. | Example“We explored the northern coast by bus.” |
| Nostalgicneutral | Remembering the past with affection, sometimes mixed with sadness. | Example“The old photograph made me nostalgic for our summer visits.” |
| Notablepositive | Deserving attention because of importance or achievement. | Example“The team made a notable improvement in delivery times.” |
| Noteworthypositive | Worth noticing or mentioning. | Example“Her report included one particularly noteworthy observation.” |
| Notoriousnegative | Well known, usually for something undesirable. | Example“The junction is notorious for long traffic delays.” |
| Novelpositive | New or unusual in an interesting way. Here it is an adjective. A novel meaning a book is a noun. | Example“They found a novel use for the empty shop.” |
| Noxiousnegative | Harmful or poisonous. | Example“Workers checked the room for noxious fumes.” |
| Numbneutral | Unable to feel a physical sensation or emotion normally. Neutral here means descriptive, not comfortable or harmless. | Example“My fingers felt numb after the cold walk.” |
| Numericalneutral | Expressed in or relating to numbers. | Example“Put the receipts in numerical order.” |
| Numerousneutral | Existing in large numbers. | Example“Numerous footpaths cross the park.” |
| Nurturingpositive | Providing care and support that helps someone develop. | Example“A nurturing teacher made space for questions.” |
| Nutritiouspositive | Providing nutrients that support the body. | Example“Lentils can be part of a nutritious meal.” |
| Nuttyneutral | Having a flavor or smell like nuts. Informal descriptions of a person as “nutty” can be insulting. | Example“The toasted grains had a nutty flavor.” |
This is a selected list, not every English adjective beginning with N. British “neighbourly” and “naïve” work in the search too.
Positive adjectives that start with N
For praise, look for the particular quality you mean—not simply a longer replacement for “nice.”
Neighborly · Nimble · Nonjudgmental · Notable · Nurturing · Nutritious
Explore the collection of positive words beginning with N →Neutral and descriptive N adjectives
These describe location, size, time or another feature. “Neutral” is a guide to tone, not a claim that every situation is pleasant.
Narrow · National · Natural · New · Nocturnal · Northern
Negative adjectives that start with N
These can describe problems, criticism or unpleasant feelings. Describe the behavior or situation precisely instead of turning a word into a permanent label for someone.
Naive · Nasty · Negligent · Nervous · Nonsensical · Notorious
N adjectives to describe a person
Choose between a quality you appreciate, a passing feeling and behavior you need to describe. Those are different things.
For a compliment
Neighborly, nurturing, nonjudgmental and nimble.
“Your nonjudgmental response made it easier to ask for help.”
For a feeling
Nervous, nostalgic, numb and nonplussed.
“She felt nervous before her first rehearsal.”
For critical feedback
Naive, negligent and narrow-minded can sound harsh.
“The estimate did not account for delivery costs” is more specific than “That was naive.”
Similar words, different messages
Notable is not the same as notorious
A notable achievement deserves attention. A place notorious for delays is known for a problem. Use notable or noteworthy for praise; notorious usually signals an unfavorable reputation. Check the usage.
Negligent describes care; negligible describes size
A negligent person has failed to take proper care. A negligible difference is too small to matter much. Neither word is a substitute for the other.
Nonplussed can be misunderstood
Its established sense is puzzled and unsure how to respond. Merriam-Webster also records a chiefly US sense meaning unbothered. If those opposite readings would change your message, use puzzled or unfazed instead. Read the dictionary note.
Is it an adjective in your sentence?
Before a noun
“A narrow bridge.”
Narrow describes the bridge.
After a linking verb
“The bridge is narrow.”
The same word still describes the bridge.
Word endings alone are not a reliable test: neighborly is an adjective, but nicely is an adverb. “A novel solution” uses an adjective; “I read a novel” uses a noun. This list includes adjective uses, not every word that starts with N.
About this guide
Definitions and sentences were written for this guide. Tone and use labels are editorial descriptions of the examples, not permanent properties of a word or a person. The list is selective, with no claim to include every N adjective.
Further reading: British Council: adjectives; Merriam-Webster on notorious, nonplussed and nauseous.