Our list of aesthetic words will help you transport your readers to the world your characters are experiencing, one sentence at a time.
The term aesthetic is a buzzword among influencers, but the concept isn’t just for those taking artsy photos of lattes or filming TikTok dances. As a writer, aesthetic words give you the power to help your reader imagine themselves in your describing setting.
If you’re working on describing a vibe emulated by a place, person, or object, you’ll want to check out our list of aesthetic words to help you paint a picture for your reader. Whether you’re looking for a list of nice words to describe someone or words to enhance your imagery, we’ve got you covered!
Contents
What Are Aesthetic Words?
Aesthetic words are generally used to describe a positive emotion, scene, object, setting, or character. In addition to painting a picture for your reader, aesthetic words also allow you to set a mood that can help your readers understand the energy of your story. While these words can be used in any narrative, they’re especially helpful in the speculative fiction, science fiction, and fantasy genres.
| Abaft | Epitome | Mudita |
| Accismus | Esoteric | Nicknackatory |
| Addictive | Esthetic | Nid-nod |
| Adorable | Evocative | Nixie |
| Affable | Exquisite | Nostalgic |
| Agelast | Eye-catching | Numinous |
| Alluring | Faffle | Opulence |
| Ambrosial | Fastidious | Ornate |
| Anachronism | Felicity | Otherworldly |
| Angelic | Feriation | Panacea |
| Arresting | Fernweh | Petrichor |
| Aurora | Flawless | Plethora |
| Balletic | Gemstone | Provocative |
| Betweenity | Glamour | Radiant |
| Biblioklept | Glorious | Ravishing |
| Bravado | Graceful | Redolent |
| Bubbly | Grungy | Refreshing |
| Cacophony | Halcyon | Restorative |
| Camaraderie | Heavenly | Riposte |
| Captivating | Hogo | Scintilla |
| Chatoyant | Idyllic | Sequoia |
| Chic | Incandescent | Serendipity |
| Coddiwomple | Ineffable | Showstopping |
| Contemporary | Lallation | Sonder |
| Cosmic | Languor | Splendid |
| Cozy | Lassitude | Sublime |
| Cunning | Lilt | Supernatural |
| Demure | Limerence | Surreptitious |
| Distinguished | Lithe | Synchronicity |
| Draconian | Logophile | Tiffin |
| Dreamy | Loof | Ubuntu |
| Earthy | Lovelorn | Wanderlust |
| Ebullience | Luxurious | Whimsical |
| Eclectic | Magnetic | Wistful |
| Effervescent | Majestic | Zenith |
| Elfin | Melancholy | Zephyr |
| Elixir | Mellifluous | Zingy |
| Enchanting | Modern |
Trendy Aesthetic Words
On-trend words come and go, and using aesthetic words that are popular right now can help you connect with your audience. These aesthetic words will give your writing a modern feel and help readers imagine your story happening in real time.
1. Addictive
Paula had to stop at the bakery when she smelled the freshly-risen donuts–the blueberry lemon glazed pastries were downright addictive, and she couldn’t have them often enough.
2. Aurora
They gazed out over the rail of the balcony on their cruise ship, enjoying the aurora of the sunrise.
3. Chic
Paris is known as the most chic city in Europe, so Pam was surprised by the vibrant, up-to-date fashion culture she experienced when she spent a weekend in Budapest.
4. Contemporary
As Linda walked into the worship service, she was surprised to hear that the music was contemporary, as she was used to hearing old-world hymns when she went to church with her grandmother.
5. Ebullience
The preschool class was bubbling with excitement; their ebullience was clear as soon as the puppy entered the room.
6. Eclectic
The coffee shop’s decor was eclectic; the paintings, license plates, and Christmas ornaments didn’t quite go together but went perfectly with the energy of the Misfits-Fit-Here Café.
7. Evocative
Listening to the poem, Mallory felt that the words of the second stanza were evocative, as the poet’s voice seemed to transport her mind to stress-free summers on the lake.
8. Flawless
Monica’s performance on stage was flawless, and her voice instructor marveled as she hit every note with ease and a smile.
9. Grungy
“This place gives a pretty grungy vibe,” said Lucas as he and Christie walked into the small restaurant entrance off of the alleyway.
10. Lithe
Erika’s recent weight loss left her looking lithe, like a ballerina; she was willowy yet healthy, and it was clear that she prioritized taking care of herself.
11. Modern
Victoria’s home had a surprisingly modern aesthetic, with black, white, and silver decor; it seemed at odds with her super-traditional, country-raised personality.
12. Provocative
The party was trying too hard to be provocative with their double-entendre-dubbed custom drink blends and ultra-stylish decor.
13. Restorative
The waterfall seemed to have restorative properties, and as Alicia sat behind it and watched it fall, she felt a sense of youth, purpose, and renewed energy.
14. Showstopping
You won’t be able to miss her; she’s showstopping, and not just because she towers over most people in the room at a statuesque six feet tall.
Classic Aesthetic Words
Are you looking to create an old-fashioned piece that will give your readers a touch of nostalgia? These aesthetic words are timeless classics that will transport your readers to whatever time and place you choose.
15. Adorable
There was no other way to put it; Alicia’s apartment was downright adorable, from her hand-stitched curtains to the photos of her and her sister from their travels around the world.
16. Affable
Stella rested her head on the center console and stretched out her four legs on the passenger’s seat; Otto couldn’t help but realize she was the most affable, easygoing road trip partner he’d ever had.
17. Alluring
While the Florida beaches were beautiful, Loretta couldn’t help but notice the alluring wetlands on the other side of her resort.
18. Arresting
The sheer size of the lion was arresting, and even though Gary knew he was safe inside the confines of the safari vehicle, he felt his adrenaline kick in as the massive cat began to make his way toward the snack offered by the safari guide.
19. Captivating
Rachel was nervous about standing on the stage and sharing her story about cancer treatment, but the crowd found her captivating; they hung on her every word.
20. Cozy
Mary-Ann’s home was distinctively cozy, and her daughter, Amy, instantly felt transported back to her childhood when she saw the fireplace burning.
21. Cunning
Despite not having the research to back up her proposal, Delilah’s cunning nature made it easier for her to trick the C-suite executives into funding her latest project.
22. Distinguished
Sam’s office had a distinguished feel, as the walls were decorated with years of accolades from various respected universities and colleges and plaques denoting his company’s sizable charitable contributions.
23. Exquisite
The jewelry shop Michael took Holly to was exquisite; from the ornate chandeliers to the glasses of champagne and sparkling cider, the staff had to wait at the entrance; it felt like they were stepping into a fairy tale.
24. Eye-catching
Carly’s beauty wasn’t the only thing about her that was eye-catching, as her graceful confidence drew people to her just as much as her good looks.
25. Graceful
Her teacher worked hard to help her learn to move gracefully, allowing her to shine as she seemed to float across the stage at her recital.
26. Lovelorn
The heavy feeling of a lovelorn heart hung in the air as he finally realized she wouldn’t call.
27. Luxurious
When Holly allowed her body to sink into the luxurious fabric, she felt her investment was worth every penny.
28. Magnetic
Melanie was magnetic, and anyone who enjoyed listening to her speak felt captivated.
29. Nostalgic
Hearing the crack of the bat hitting the ball made Clarissa feel nostalgic for her days of playing high school softball.
30. Ornate
Suzanne was enchanted as she drove up the hill to the old Irish castle, amazed by the detail of the ornate and intricate design of each pointed tower.
31. Opulence
The old-world palace embodied opulence, from the detail in the pillars to the beauty of the stained glass in the entryway.
32. Ravishing
Juanita looked ravishing in her gown and couldn’t wait to walk on stage and accept her Volunteer of the Year award.
33. Refreshing
Gabe threw his head back as he gulped down his refreshing Gatorade to rehydrate his body after crossing the finish line of the New York Marathon.
34. Splendid
“We had a splendid time,” Allison said of her first date with Ryan, “we planned a hike and it rained for most of the day, but we were still able to enjoy each other’s company.”
35. Sublime
The flan was sublime, and Mrs. Stevens enjoyed every bite as she looked around the table and saw the students in her Spanish class doing the same during their annual field trip to her favorite Spanish restaurant.
36. Zingy
Marvin didn’t usually like musicals, but this show was zingy and fun and held his attention until the final scene.
Ethereal Aesthetic Words
An ethereal aesthetic (think The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis or Life of Pi by Yann Martel) can help your readers become enveloped in the mystical world you’ve created for your characters. Whether your protagonists are time-traveling, living in the supernatural realm, or meeting mythical characters, ethereal aesthetic words can help bring your world to life.
37. Angelic
The sounds from the church bells were positively angelic and made Warren feel one step closer to God whenever he could walk by the cathedral on Sunday morning.
38. Ambrosial
The icing on Marley’s birthday cake was ambrosial, perfectly sweet with hints of vanilla and orange, reminiscent of a summer creamsicle.
39. Cosmic
When Ruth spent time stargazing in the desert, she realized just how small she was in comparison to the cosmic wonder of the universe.
40. Dreamy
Hannah was so happy to be adopted by her foster family that she hardly noticed they made her room dreamy; she had unicorn figures on the walls, a canopy bed, and a sound machine that let her drift off to sleep to the sweet noises of the rainforest.
41. Earthy
The tea wasn’t bad, but it did have an earthy taste, and the odd flavors of dirt and grass reminded Walter of how the air smelled after it rained.
42. Effervescent
Laura’s energy was effervescent, and her friends noticed that they always felt happier and more energetic after they got the chance to enjoy some time with her.
43. Elfin
The Elfin fairies danced at the end of the rainbow, singing an enchanting, otherworldly song that was impossible to forget.
44. Enchanting
The flower garden was enchanting, and the twinkling lights woven throughout the foliage made the cool autumn night the perfect place to enjoy an hour of quiet at the end of a long workday.
45. Glorious
After spending all day cooped up in the office dealing with her supervisor’s ridiculous spreadsheet demands, Marie was relieved to finally feel the glorious warm sun on her skin.
46. Heavenly
After spending a year abroad, coming home to North Carolina and digging into a plate of her barbeque ribs at her favorite restaurant felt heavenly.
47. Idyllic
While some fellow travelers warned the couple that chain resorts are tourist traps, denying that their accommodations were idyllic, with a perfect view of the sunrise over the water was impossible.
48. Majestic
Elizabeth knew the Grand Canyon would be beautiful, but she had no idea the space would be majestic; she’d never seen anything so glorious.
49. Otherworldly
As Jane and her son hiked on the trail to the swimming hole, they came across a lagoon with water so blue and clear that it seemed otherworldly.
50. Radiant
The sun seemed to shine directly from Debbie’s skin after she finished her week at the spa; she looked healthy and radiant when she returned home.
51. Serendipity
A surprising stroke of serendipity resulted in the two college roommates sitting next to each other in the office of the Fortune 500 company they’d always dreamed of running.
52. Supernatural
Connie knew that Yetis weren’t real, but as she found herself hiking deeper into the Himalayas, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was some truth to the supernatural legend.
53. Surreptitious
Martha never expected to get caught; she traded her stocks surreptitiously and thought she had a foolproof plan to keep her from being held accountable.
54. Whimsical
The candy shop was whimsical, and vanilla-flavored treats wafting through the air only added to the carefree, creative environment.
55. Wistful
Charlie felt wistful as he visited his wife’s gravesite–even though she was battling cancer when she died, he wished she could hang on a bit longer.
56. Zephyr
She loved the feeling of the warm, dry zephyr in her hair as she walked along the side of the ocean.
Elevate your writing and check out our descriptive words list!
Positive Aesthetic Words
These aesthetic words add a touch of whimsy and fun to your writing and can be used to describe people, places, conversations, and situations. Some words add a touch of old-world charm, while others give your readers a sense of otherworldly wonder.
57. Bravado
As her confidence grew, her false sense of bravado evolved into believing she could make her dreams a reality.
58. Bubbly
Janet’s bubbly personality made it easy to keep her preschool class engaged throughout their morning meeting.
59. Camaraderie
The team’s camaraderie was displayed as they cheered each other throughout the final quarter.
60. Chatoyant
Stella’s chatoyant nature became apparent as she left the group on the edge of their seats, waiting to see where she’d take the conversation next.
61. Esoteric
The professor’s esoteric explanation of stoicism made it hard for students new to philosophical discussions to participate.
62. Fastidious
Teresa was fastidious as she calculated how much the school would need to fundraise to offer scholarships the following year.
63. Felicity
Tim felt a sense of felicity as he watched the sun’s rays sparkle on the ocean in front of his new condo.
64. Feriation
Quinn left her cell phone and laptop in the hotel, determined to fully take feriation from work while she was on vacation.
65. Glamour
The old Hollywood glamour of the speakeasy made the couple feel transported back to the 1940s.
66. Halcyon
Linda missed the halcyon days of her youth when she used to work the counter at her family’s restaurant.
67. Hogo
The garlic truffle fries gave off a hogo scent that was unmistakable.
68. Lallation
Mallory loved hearing her daughter’s lallation as she began the process of learning how to speak.
69. Languor
The languor of summer afternoons at the shore was the most relaxing part of Derrick’s vacation.
70. Lilt
Mrs. Roseborough’s trademark Irish lilt came through whenever she spoke excitedly.
71. Logophile
Many writers are logophiles who love keeping track of their favorite words and sprinkling them into their writing.
72. Loof
Lottie relaxed as her golden retriever puppy rested her paw on the loof of her new owner’s hand.
73. Mellifluous
The mellifluous sound of Mrs. Reinhardt’s voice floated through the classroom as the students began their day.
74. Mudita
Miriam felt a strong sense of mudita as she watched the happy couple recite their wedding vows.
75. Panacea
The board felt that the weekend corporate retreat would be the panacea for the issues that plagued the company over the past year.
76. Petrichor
The sweet petrichor filled the air following the severe summer thunderstorm.
77. Sonder
Whenever Kourtney felt caught up in her heartbreak, she reminded herself to absorb the feeling of sonder, which helped to remind her that she wasn’t alone in her pain.
78. Synchronicity
Jane and Renee couldn’t believe that they once again found themselves in similar
predicaments, but such synchronicity had always been a theme of their friendship.
79. Ubuntu
The community expressed a strong sense of Ubuntu toward their neighbors whose home was devastated by a fire.
80. Wanderlust
After her return from her trip to Ireland, Sally was overcome with a sense of wanderlust.
Neutral Aesthetic Words
These unusual and beautiful words don’t have a positive or negative connotation but can be used to make your writing interesting and exciting. When using particularly rare words, include context clues so your readers can deduce meaning without pulling out a dictionary.
81. Abaft
The captain loved staring abaft at the stars over the ship’s stern.
82. Accismus
She attempted to appear accismus at the smell of her mother’s cookies, but she couldn’t help herself when they came out of the oven.
83. Balletic
He moved balletically as he crossed the street amidst the snowflakes.
84. Betweenity
The betweenity of their situation made it difficult for either of them to move forward with their lives.
85. Demure
The kitten was sweet and demure and had no problem fitting in with the family.
86. Elixir
The concerned mother hoped that her ginger tea elixir would do the trick to get rid of her son’s cold before it was time for school the following day.
87. Epitome
He was the epitome of charm and wit, and it was easy for his friends to see how easy it would be for him to find a date for the office party.
88. Esthetic
The island’s esthetic was clear from the moment the passengers exited the cruise ship, and they felt relaxed as soon as they immersed themselves in the tropical decor.
89. Faffle
She faffled over her words as she addressed the crowd, as she wasn’t used to public speaking.
90. Fernweh
Kim felt a sense of fernweh as she boarded the plane to return home from her European adventure, and she couldn’t wait to start planning her next trip.
91. Gemstone
The gemstones embedded in the walls of the mural twinkled against the Midwestern sunset.
92. Incandescent
The incandescent sequins on her costume glittered as she moved through her dance routine, further captivating the audience.
93. Ineffable
The beauty of the old mansion was ineffable, and the realty team knew they’d be able to restore it to its original look.
94. Nicknackatory
The children squealed excitedly at the opening of the nicknackatory, and they couldn’t wait to choose a new toy from all that the store had to offer.
95. Nid-nod
Despite her excitement to get to London, Patricia couldn’t help but nid-nod as her flight crossed the Atlantic.
96. Numinous
She felt a sense of numinous wonder at the Grand Canyon like a higher power had to be responsible for something so fantastic.
97. Plethora
She was able to provide her friends with a plethora of reasons explaining why she wanted to move back to her hometown.
98. Redolent
The great hall was set up to reflect the colonial period in which it was built and was redolent of the 17th-century aesthetic guests loved when they attended formal events.
99. Riposte
Her boss attempted to insult her, but her quick riposte made it clear that he’d failed to hurt her feelings.
100. Scintilla
As much as she tried, she couldn’t get rid of the scintilla of doubt that she was wrong in sticking with her current company, and she decided to give the other company some additional thought.
101. Sequoia
Gavin was blown away by the massive sequoia trees that covered the West Coast.
102. Tiffin
The family decided to stop for tiffin at the street side market before their 8 pm dinner reservation.
103. Zenith
At the zenith of his tenure as president, Barack Obama implemented a new federal healthcare policy.
Negative Aesthetic Words
If your writing is headed to a dark place, negative aesthetic words can be a great way to keep your writing interesting while creating the mood you’re after. Many of these words can help transport your readers to times past, creating a sense of history that can take your readers to other time periods.
104. Agelast
His bad relationship had changed his previous sunny disposition to one of agelast, and his family couldn’t remember the last time they heard him laugh.
105. Anachronism
The vase was a clear anachronism against the modern decor in the rest of the house, but its charm was appreciated by all who visited.
106. Biblioklept
Martinique tried to justify keeping library books as a worthwhile educational pursuit, but in reality, she had become a biblioklept, and she worried she’d be banned from her favorite place to relax after work.
107. Cacophony
It was difficult to concentrate in the cacophony of the packed stadium, but Tony tried to focus on making the game-winning touchdown nevertheless.
108. Coddiwomple
The mother and son liked to coddiwomple up the mountain, unsure of where they were going but determined to get there fast.
109. Draconian
Many countries have found marijuana laws to be Draconian and have decriminalized possession of the plant for recreational use.
110. Lassitude
After the day’s events, Paris felt exhausted with lassitude and collapsed onto her bed the moment she had the chance.
111. Limerence
Megan wasn’t sure whether she’d found her true love or was simply experiencing intense limerence at the thought of spending her evening with her blind date.
112. Melancholy
A sense of melancholy overtook him as he realized he might lose the career he’d worked so hard for due to a simple error in judgment.
113. Nixie
Pirates of days past warned each other with tales of nixies playing tricks on them as they sailed the open sea.
Looking for more? Check out our list of tone words!
