50 excellent adjectives that start with m - Education (2024)

What is an adjective?

Before discussing adjectives that start with m, let us talk about adjectives first. An adjective describes or modifies a noun or a pronoun. In simple words, an adjective is a word that provides or supplies us with more information about a noun or a noun phrase. We can express the quality of a person with the help of adjectives. While describing an object, we need the help of adjectives to convey how it looks to us. Thus, adjectives are vital elements of a sentence.

The glossary of adjectives in the English language is understandably quite large. No wonder that there are a plethora of adjectives that start with m. Adjectives beginning with the letter m have both positive and negative connotations. In other words, not only there are positive adjectives beginning with m, but there are a lot of negative adjectives that start with m also.

50 adjectives that start with m

Let us look at an illustrative list of some wonderful adjectives that start with m, which you can use to boost your vocabulary.

1. Macabre – gruesome or inspiring horror, causing a fear of death
The macabre tales of Edgar Allan Poe are ingenious and spine-chilling.

2. Machiavellian – scheming, devious, and amoral, usually in politics
The cabinet’s Machiavellian schemes compelled the minister to quit abruptly.

3. Maddening – very annoying or irritating
Monopoly, at times, can be a maddening board game.

4. Maladroit – incompetent or unskilful; clumsy
The maladroit waiter dropped the bowl of soup on my lap.

5. Malevolent – the intention of doing harm or wishing evil to others, malicious
The children understood that the mysterious enchantress has malevolent intentions.

6. Mandatory – required by rule or mandate, compulsory.
The mandatory orientation course was disliked by all the students.

7. Marital – related to marriage or concerning the relationship between a married couple
Marital problems plagued her whole life.

8. Marshy – characteristic of a marsh, swampy or boggy
The marshy wetlands covered most of the region.

9. Massive – extremely very large, solid, and heavy; very serious
A massive statue of the revolutionary hero was unveiled today.

10. Maudlin – very sentimental and emotional
The maudlin moon smiled at the wistful waves

11. Meandering – follow a zigzag or a winding course, aimlessly wonder
A desolate, meandering road led me to an abandoned house.

12. Mechanical – related to or operated by machines; done without thought, machine-like
Due to severe mechanical failure, the operation was stopped.

13. Mediocre – ordinary or average, lacking in quality or ability
They are a mediocre team, and we are confident of defeating them.

14. Meek – quiet, gentle, or resigned; docile or submissive
Jim’s meek nature made him susceptible to bullying.

15. Melancholy – characterized by a feeling of sadness, mournful
The song was apt for my melancholy mood.

16. Mellifluous – sweet-sounding, pleasing to the ear
Rita’s mellifluous voice calmed our nerves.

17. Melodramatic – characterized by melodrama, to the point of overemotional or over-dramatic
The story was too melodramatic for my liking.

18. Merciless – showing or having no mercy
There seemed to be no relief from the merciless summer heat.

19. Meritorious – deserving reward or honour, praiseworthy
Laura was a meritorious student in her younger days.

20. Mesmerizing – grabbing and holding one’s attention as if by magic or a spell
Elizabeth Taylor had the most mesmerizing eyes among all the actresses of her time.

21. Metallic – Characteristic of or resembling a metal
Adam found a metallic ring lying on the pavement.

22. Meticulous – one who pays great attention to detail, punctilious or extremely precise and careful
Matt’s meticulous nature of maintaining the books of accounts impressed everyone.

23. Metropolitan – characteristic of or relating to a metropolis or a large city
The rural folk was amazed by the metropolitan glitz and glamour of the city.

24. Mighty – having or showing great power or strength, imposing in size
The mighty desert is still awaiting the first drop of rain this year.

25. Migratory – relating to the migration of people, birds, fish, and animals who travel from one place to another often over long distances for several reasons.
It’s time for the migratory birds to pay a visit to the zoo.

26. Mild – not severe or harsh; moderate in degree, intensity, or effect; humble and gentle
This year’s winter is expected to be a mild one.

27. Militant – supporting warfare or confrontational policies, adopting violent methods
Some militant leaders are plotting an insurgency.

28. Minuscule – extremely small or tiny
The chances of contracting the flu are minuscule.

29. Misanthropic – marked by a hatred or contempt toward other people, believes the worst of human nature
The misanthropic entrepreneur made a lot of money but didn’t make any friends.

30. Mischievous – naughty, misbehaving, or causing trouble playfully; deliberately causing or intended to cause harm or damage
Dennis is a mischievous kid who’s always up to something.

31. Misleading – deceptive or giving the wrong impression, deliberately or unintentionally
A misleading article led to such a huge scandal in the industry.

32. Misshapen – badly out of shape or deformed
The elderly woman had misshapen fingers due to rheumatoid arthritis.

33. Mnemonic – relating to or designed to aid the memory
Ricky claims that he has purchased a mnemonic device that helps you memorize the periodic table.

34. Mocking – making fun of someone or something in a harsh manner; expressing contempt or ridicule
Timothy’s mocking smile infuriated Jim further.

35. Moderate – not excessive or average, within reasonable limits; not radical or extreme
According to doctors, moderate exercise helps in the digestion process.

36. Modish – characterized by a tendency to follow the latest, popular, and fashionable trends
Sylvia wore a modish dress for the evening.

37. Momentary – lasting for a very brief period of time, short-lived
Linda’s success was momentary as she lost her focus and left the field altogether.

38. Monetary – involving or relating to money or currency
Julia’s relatives helped her financially during the monetary crisis.

39. Monopolistic – person or business having exclusive control or possession over a commercial activity
The company enjoyed a monopolistic position, thanks to the help of the corrupt Government.

40. Moonlit – lighted by moonlight
On a moonlit night, I caught a glimpse of the headless horseman.

41. Morose – sullen, irritable, or bad-tempered
Since her heartbreak, Pam has become so morose and temperamental.

42. Mottled – marked with spots or patches of colour, blotchy
“Bronzing bracken and mottled bramble gleamed in the light of the sinking sun.“

43. Mournful – expressing, feeling or evoking sadness and grief
John looked mournful on the last day of school.

44. Muffled – muted, softer, not loud or clear because of some obstruction
We heard muffled voices behind the curtain.

45. Muggy – hot and humid
It was a warm, muggy April afternoon when the cyclone suddenly hit us.

46. Munificent – very generous and philanthropic
Josh is known for being the most munificent member of the community.

47. Mushy – soft and lacking a firm shape; too sentimental
The pudding is mushy because you overcooked it.

48. Myopic – short-sighted; lacking foresight
The minister’s myopic attitude to public spending was criticized by a large section of the people.

49. Myriad – innumerable or too many in number to be counted
Myriad sports events, cultural festivals, theatre shows, and concerts were cancelled due to the pandemic.

50. Mythological – relating to or based on traditional stories, appearing in mythologies
The painted walls depicted several mythological narratives.

You can use these excellent adjectives to describe a person or a thing you want. Remember, this is not an exhaustive list. There are plenty of interesting adjectives that start with m, which you might not have heard of yet. So, keep reading and writing sentences with adjectives for better results. Using these adjectives you can use precise language and help the readers build vivid imagery in their minds. Precise adjectives decorate the nouns with specific information that invokes the imagination and emotions of the readers.

More reading

Comprehensive list of adjectives for kids
Adjectives that start with ‘a’
50 adjectives beginning with ‘e’
Adjectives that start with ‘r’BBC – Word grammar: Adjectives
BBC – What are adjectives?