11+ words to describe places and settings

Words for where things happen and what it is like to be there: derelict, tranquil, perilous, eerie, ravine. A single word like derelict or tranquil can set a whole scene.

There are 65 words here: 32 describing words, 7 doing words, 22 naming words and 4 others. Each has its meaning, an example sentence and similar words. Tap a word for its opposites and a practice question.

Describing words (adjectives)32

adjacent: Right next to something else.; Our classroom is adjacent to the library, so we only have to walk through one door to borrow a book.; Similar: beside, neighbouring, alongside
ajar: Slightly open.; The door stood ajar, letting a thin strip of light spill into the dark hallway.; Similar: half-open, open
austere: Very plain and strict, without comfort or decoration.; The knight's room was austere: a hard bed, a bare table and one small candle.; Similar: plain, bare, strict
barren: Empty and bare, where nothing can grow.; Not a single flower grew on the barren, rocky hillside.; Similar: bare, empty, lifeless
bustling: Full of busy, noisy activity.; The bustling market was packed with shoppers, stalls and shouting traders.; Similar: busy, lively, crowded
chaotic: Completely confused and without any order.; The classroom was chaotic after the hamster escaped: chairs tipped, papers flying, everyone shrieking.; Similar: messy, wild, confused
dank: Unpleasantly damp, cold and musty, like the inside of a cave.; The dank cellar smelled of wet stone, and water dripped slowly down its cold walls.; Similar: damp, wet, chilly
derelict: Empty, abandoned and falling to pieces.; The derelict factory had broken windows and weeds growing through the floor.; Similar: abandoned, ruined, dilapidated
desolate: Empty, lonely and sad, with nothing and nobody in it.; The desolate planet had no trees, no water and no sound at all.; Similar: deserted, barren, bleak
dilapidated: Falling to pieces because it has not been looked after.; Weeds grew through the floor of the dilapidated cottage, and every one of its windows was broken.; Similar: ruined, crumbling, shabby
domestic: Belonging to the home and family, or tame and kept by people.; Washing up and hoovering are domestic chores we share at home.; Similar: household, home, tame
eerie: Strange in a way that makes you feel nervous or scared.; An eerie silence hung over the empty fairground, and the rusty swings creaked by themselves.; Similar: spooky, creepy, weird
exotic: Unusual and exciting because it comes from a faraway place.; The market stall sold exotic fruits that none of us had ever seen in Britain.; Similar: unusual, strange, foreign
grim: Gloomy, harsh and without cheer.; The old prison stood grim and grey on the hilltop, its walls streaked with rain.; Similar: gloomy, harsh, dark
habitable: Good enough for people or animals to live in.; After the builders fixed the roof, the old cottage was habitable again.; Similar: liveable, suitable
hazardous: Dangerous and likely to cause harm.; Warning signs marked the hazardous cliff path where rocks often tumbled down.; Similar: dangerous, risky, perilous
nautical: To do with ships, sailors and the sea.; The museum's nautical room was full of anchors, sails and old maps once used by sailors.; Similar: maritime, seafaring, marine
perilous: Very dangerous.; The perilous mountain path was icy, narrow and crumbling at the edges.; Similar: dangerous, risky, hazardous
picturesque: Pretty enough to be in a painting or on a postcard.; The picturesque village had thatched cottages, a stone bridge and swans on the river.; Similar: pretty, lovely, charming
precarious: Not safe or steady, and likely to fall or fail at any moment.; The books rose in a precarious tower that wobbled every time the door opened.; Similar: wobbly, shaky, risky
quaint: Charming in an old-fashioned way.; They stayed in a quaint cottage with crooked beams and roses around the door.; Similar: charming, picturesque, cute
remote: Far away from towns and hard to reach.; They spent the summer on a remote island where the post arrived by boat once a week.; Similar: distant, faraway, lonely
rugged: Rough, rocky and uneven, or strong and tough.; The rugged coastline was all jagged cliffs and crashing waves, with no smooth sand anywhere.; Similar: rough, rocky, uneven
rural: To do with the countryside rather than the town.; They moved to a rural village where sheep outnumbered people ten to one.; Similar: country, farming
rustic: Simple and plain in a way that suits the countryside.; They ate lunch at a rustic wooden table in the farmhouse, with hens pecking outside the door.; Similar: plain, simple, country
sacred: Holy, or deeply respected and precious.; The temple is a sacred place where people come to pray.; Similar: holy, blessed, revered
secluded: Quiet and hidden away from other people.; The secluded cottage was tucked deep in the woods, far from any road.; Similar: hidden, private, remote
solitary: Alone, with no other people or things nearby.; A solitary lighthouse stood on the empty headland, miles from the nearest village.; Similar: alone, lone, single
subterranean: Existing or happening under the ground.; The moles dug a network of subterranean tunnels under the lawn.; Similar: underground
tranquil: Completely calm, quiet and peaceful.; The tranquil garden was silent except for the trickle of the little fountain.; Similar: calm, peaceful, still
treacherous: Dangerous and full of hidden risks, or unable to be trusted.; Ice made the mountain path treacherous, and one careless step could mean a fall.; Similar: dangerous, risky, hazardous
vacant: Empty, with nobody using it.; The vacant house at the end of the lane had dusty windows and an overgrown path.; Similar: empty, unused, free

Doing words (verbs)7

inhabit: To live in a place.; Strange glowing fish inhabit the deepest parts of the ocean.; Similar: live, stay, settle
isolate: To keep someone or something apart from others.; The vet isolated the sick lamb so the rest of the flock would stay healthy.; Similar: separate, remove, divide
loom: To appear as a large, worrying shape, or to be about to happen.; The dark castle loomed over the village, blocking out the evening sun.; Similar: tower, threaten
maroon: To leave someone stranded in a place they cannot escape from.; The pirates marooned the traitor on a tiny island with one bottle of water.; Similar: strand, abandon, dump
occupy: To live in, fill or take up a space.; A family of robins came to occupy the old birdhouse, filling it with twigs and feathers.; Similar: fill, hold, inhabit
reek: To smell very strongly and unpleasantly.; 'Those trainers reek of old cheese,' groaned Mum, holding her nose and opening the window.; Similar: stink, smell, pong
reside: To live in a particular place.; An old tortoise is said to reside in the walled garden, munching lettuce among the roses.; Similar: live, dwell, lodge

Naming words (nouns)22

aroma: A pleasant smell.; The aroma of fresh bread drifted from the bakery and made our tummies rumble.; Similar: scent, smell, whiff
barricade: A barrier built quickly to block the way.; The children built a barricade of cushions across the doorway to keep their nosy brother out.; Similar: barrier, block, wall
cavern: A very large cave.; Deep inside the mountain lay a vast cavern glittering with crystals.; Similar: cave, hollow, den
chasm: A very deep crack or gap in the ground.; The rope bridge swung above a chasm so deep we could not see the bottom.; Similar: gap, crack, pit
crevice: A narrow crack in rock or a wall.; A tiny lizard darted into a crevice in the wall and vanished.; Similar: crack, gap, split
debris: The broken bits and pieces left scattered after something is destroyed.; After the storm, the garden was covered in debris: snapped branches, smashed pots and torn leaves.; Similar: rubble, wreckage, litter
expanse: A wide, open stretch of land, sea or sky.; From the plane window, they gazed down at the endless expanse of glittering ocean.; Similar: stretch, space, spread
haven: A safe place where you can shelter from harm.; The cave was a haven for the sailors while the storm raged outside.; Similar: shelter, safety, hideout
jeopardy: A state of danger, when something could be harmed or lost.; The climbers knew one wrong step would put their lives in jeopardy on the icy ridge.; Similar: danger, risk, trouble
knoll: A small round hill.; From the grassy knoll, they could see the whole village spread out below.; Similar: hill, mound, hump
nomad: A person who moves from place to place instead of living in one home.; The nomad packed up his tent again, ready to wander across the desert to a new camp.; Similar: wanderer, traveller, rover
oasis: A green place in a desert where there is water.; After days of hot sand, the travellers cheered when they spotted an oasis with palm trees and a cool pool.; Similar: haven, refuge
odour: A smell, often an unpleasant one.; A strange odour drifted from the bin, making everyone wrinkle their noses.; Similar: smell, stink, whiff
outskirts: The outer edges of a town or city, far from the centre.; Their farm sat on the outskirts of town, where the streets gave way to green fields.; Similar: edge, border, fringe
peril: The threat of serious danger.; The sailors knew they were in peril when the storm snapped the mast.; Similar: danger, risk, threat
ravine: A deep, narrow valley with steep sides.; A rope bridge swung over the ravine, and far below they could hear the river roar.; Similar: gorge, gully, valley
refuge: A safe place to shelter from danger.; When the storm broke, the walkers found refuge in a dry cave until the thunder passed.; Similar: shelter, haven, safety
summit: The very top of a mountain or hill.; After six hours of climbing, they finally reached the snowy summit and cheered.; Similar: top, peak, tip
thicket: A thick group of bushes and small trees growing close together.; The deer vanished into a thicket so dense that we could not follow.; Similar: undergrowth, copse, scrub
undergrowth: The bushes and plants that grow thickly under trees.; Something rustled in the undergrowth, and we froze on the forest path.; Similar: bushes, shrubs, scrub
verge: The edge of something, or the moment just before something happens.; Maya was on the verge of tears when her sandcastle collapsed.; Similar: edge, brink, border
void: A completely empty space.; The astronaut stared out into the silent void between the stars.; Similar: emptiness, gap, hole

Words that describe how (adverbs)1

yonder: Over there, some distance away.; 'The castle lies yonder, beyond those hills,' said the old shepherd.; Similar: there, beyond

More words3

besieged: Surrounded by enemies or crowds, or overwhelmed by many requests.; The besieged castle held out for months until help arrived.; Similar: surrounded, overwhelmed, swamped
exterior: The outside part of something.; The exterior walls of the house were painted bright yellow.; Similar: outside, surface
interior: The inside part of something.; The interior walls of the cave glittered with crystals.; Similar: inside