description of breasts for creative writing

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description of breasts for creative writing

Ways to Describe Chests and Breasts: A Word List for Writers

(Discover even more words in The Writer’s Body Lexicon .)

According to Thomas Fuller, the devil lies brooding in the miser’s chest. Rod Stewart said that a person has to have a burning desire in the chest to succeed. And then there’s Erma Bombeck, who quipped, “What’s with you men? Would hair stop growing on your chest if you asked directions somewhere?”

An overweight man or out-of-shape bodybuilder might have pecs that move and look like flabby breasts. A female stevedore or competitive swimmer might develop a muscular torso that appears more masculine than feminine.

In several areas of this post, I created separate headings for chests and breasts. However, you might prefer to apply words differently, sometimes for comedic effect.

When considering descriptors, pay attention to opinion adjectives and how they affect point of view.

Emotion Beats and Physical Manifestations

Before reviewing the following beats, note that he crossed his arms across his chest can be shortened to he crossed his arms .

Many readers will associate a puffed-out chest with aggression or arrogance, but they might not see a clear association with delight or determination. Ensure suitable context for vague emotion beats.

Aggression puffed-out chest

Aggrievement, distress shoulders slumped inward over chest chest, neck, and face flush and feel hot

Agitation, nervousness clutching papers against chest

Amazement holding a hand against chest

Anger thrusting chest forward, fists propped on hips

Anticipation holding a hand against chest

Anxiety tightness in the chest

Arrogance puffed-out chest

Confidence, scorn, smugness puffed-out chest light feeling in the chest

Conflict tightness in the chest

Confusion tightness in the chest

Contempt puffed-out chest

Defeat, desperation, discouragement when emotion is intense: chest pains or numbness accompanied by thumping heart

Defensiveness pressing chin against chest holding both hands over chest, shoulders hunched inward

Delight, euphoria puffed-out chest heart drumming in chest

Depression hollow sensation in chest

Desire heart fluttering in chest

Determination puffed-out chest

Disappointment tightness in chest

Dread, fear , terror chest pains clutching chest with one or both hands heavy sensation, tingling in chest closed posture, arms and fists pulled into chest

Embarrassment tightness in chest drooping posture, chest pulled inward

Envy, jealousy heartburn burbling up into chest

Excitement chest-bumping with another person or persons

Frustration, irritation tightness in chest

Gratitude placing one hand over chest (heart)

Guilt, shame tightness in chest lowering chin to chest

Happiness placing both hands over chest

Hatred tightness in chest when emotion is intense: chest pains or numbness accompanied by thumping heart

Hopefulness placing both hands over chest

Humiliation tightness and pain in chest

Insecurity holding a familiar item of comfort against the chest (stuffed animal, lucky charm, photo of a loved one, etc.)

Overwhelm sitting or sleeping in fetal position, with knees drawn close to chest

Pride puffed-out chest

Regret tightness in chest massaging shoulder or chest

Resentment tightness in chest

Sadness tightness in chest heavy sensation in chest massaging shoulder or chest

Satisfaction puffed-out chest

Sexual attraction embracing someone, with full chest-to-chest contact

Shame tightness in chest shoulders hunched forward over chest

Shock, surprise quickly clutching chest with one or both hands

Sympathy crossing hands over chest, and curling shoulders inward

If you need additional beats, consult a body language dictionary . (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Adjectives, Both Chests and Breasts

A to C abnormal, adolescent, amazing, ample, armored, athletic, bare, beautiful , blood-caked, bloodied, bloodstained, boyish, brazen, bristly, bruised, bulging, bulky, bushy, childish, chubby, clean, cold, compact

D and E damp, defined, deformed, delicate, developed, developing, diminutive, divine, effeminate, elongated, emaciated, empty, enchanting, enormous

F and G fabulous, fat, feminine, fevered, flat, flawless, fleshy, fragile, frail, frosty, frozen, full, furry, gleaming, glossy, glowing, gorgeous, grimy, grizzled

H to M hairless, hairy, hard, healthy, hideous, hirsute, hot, icy, ideal, immense, impressive, inflamed, insubstantial, iridescent, leathery, magnificent, marvelous, massive, meager, motionless

N to R naked, narrow, outstanding, painful, perfect, phenomenal, prodigious, prominent, proud, puny, raw, repugnant, resilient, rock-hard

S sexy , shaggy, shallow, shapely, shiny, shirtless, shrunken, slack, slender, slimy, slippery, smooth, sodden, sopping, sore, splendid, sticky, stunning, superb, sweaty

T to V tempting, titanic, T-shirted, unattractive, underdeveloped, unimpressive, unprotected, unremarkable, unusual, veined, velvety, voluminous

W to Y warm, well-defined, well-fleshed, well-proportioned, wet, wondrous, wrinkled, wrinkly, young, youthful

Adjectives Breasts Only

A to D akimbo, alert, alluring, ample, barren, blubbery, bold, braless, budding, buoyant, busty, buxom, chaste, chesty, conspicuous, dainty, delectable, delicate, diminutive, dry

E to L empty, enchanting, enlarged, exuberant, fake, firm, flabby, flaccid, free, generous, gigantic , girlish, heavy, high, huge, immature, jaunty, large, little, lopsided, lovely, lumpy, luscious, lush

M to R maternal, mature, miniscule, modest, monstrous, nascent, numb, oversized, padded, pendulous, perky, pert, plump, pretty, ripe, rotund

S saggy, sensitive, shriveled, small , smallish, soft, succulent, sweet, swollen

U to W unbound, unencumbered, unfettered, upright, upstanding, useless, virginal, voluptuous, well-endowed, withered

Adjectives, Chests only

A to F angular, athletic, bearish, beefy, bony, brawny, broad, buff, built, bullish, burly, cadaverous, carved, chiseled, clear, confident, congested, deep, expansive, frail

G to O gangly, gaunt, handsome, hard, haughty, hench, Herculean, hollow, hulking, lean, male, mammoth, manly, masculine, matted, meaty, mighty, musclebound, muscular, obdurate, overdeveloped

P to R powerful, puffed-out, rasping, raspy, resonant, ribbed, rickety, rigid, robust, rugged

S scrawny, sculpted, serviceable, sinewy, skeletal, skinny, sleek, slick, solid, sonorous, strapping, streamlined, strong, stubbly, sturdy, sunken

T to W taut, thick, thin, tight, tough, unyielding, valiant, vast, weak, well-muscled, wheezy, wide

Similes and Metaphors

Rather than copy any of the following, leverage them as ideas for your own phrasing.

breasts like twin doorknobs
breasts like twin watermelons
breasts more wrinkled than last year’s apple crop
breasts that bounce like water balloons
chest as blocky as a chest of drawers
chest flatter than a smushed bug
chest hairier than a barber’s floor
desire that burns like a wildfire in one’s chest
fear cinching one’s chest tighter than any corset ever could
grief — an anvil crushing one’s chest
heart beating in one’s chest like a butterfly trapped in a net
shock piercing one’s chest like a lightning bolt

upper body like a bulldog’s chest

Torsos that spend hours bared in the sun will mirror the color and tone of a character’s neck and face .

If a character keeps the upper body covered most of the time, it will be lighter in color — humor fodder for Canadian or Icelandic protagonists, perhaps?

B to W bronzed, coppery, creamy, crimson, dark, fair, freckled, lily-white [cliché], milky, orange, pale, pallid, patchy, pink, rosy, sallow, salt-and-pepper [cliché], snow-white [cliché], snowy, speckled, swarthy, tanned, tawny, white-haired

See also the Color/Tone section of 300+ Words to Describe Skin .

Exposure to many substances will cause a person’s chest to retain the aroma, often affecting first impressions.

If a woman, who has referred to herself as a “single virgin” in a matchmaking app, arrives with the smells of baby powder and spit-up emanating from her cleavage, her prospective date might suspect she isn’t telling the truth. A CEO whose chest smells like wet dog might trigger a sneezing fit and subsequent avoidance by a prospective investor.

A person’s chest or breasts might smell like, reek of, or be redolent with the scent of:

A to D almonds, antiseptic, baby oil, baby powder, bacon bits, a bakery, barfed-up booze, bat guano, the beach, body wash, burnt flesh, C4, camphor oil, cat food, chocolate milk, coffee grounds, cookie dough, depilatory, diaper cream, dirty socks, dog breath

E to R egg salad, a forest glen, formaldehyde, goose grease, Grandma’s kitchen, gunpowder, halitosis, honey, kerosene, K-Y Jelly, lamp oil, lemon frosting, maple syrup, musty beard, old books, a one-night stand, orange peels, peppermint tea, pilfered doughnuts, pipe tobacco, rancid coconut oil, road kill, rotten cheese

S to W salad dressing, sandalwood, sawdust, shampoo, a skunk, soap, a sour dishrag, sour milk, a spice rack, spit-up, stinky towels, strawberries, sunblock, sweat, talcum powder, tar, tent canvas, too much cologne, vanilla, wet dog

Many shapes in this short list can refer to both chests and breasts.

A to W asymmetrical, barrel-chested, bell-shaped, blocky, concave, conical, convex, domed, flat, misshapen, pear-shaped, pigeon-chested, pointed, pointy, round(ed), shapeless, teardrop, triangular, wedge-shaped, well-rounded

Verbs and Phrasal Verbs (1): Transitive

These verbs take direct objects. A character’s chest might burn with desire, fill with air, or strain against shackles.

A to S ache (from, with), brush (against), burn with, engorge with, fill with, heave (against, into), peek out of, press against, resemble, rub (against), scrape against, slam (into), strain against, support

Verbs and Phrasal Verbs (2): Intransitive

The verbs in this section don’t require an object. A chest might balloon, congest, or expand. Period.

A to G ache, appear, balloon, bead with, bleed, bounce, bulge, burn, clog (up), collapse, congest, constrict, dangle, deflate, distend, drip, expand, freeze, gleam, glisten, glitter, glow

H to T hang, hurt, itch, jut, leak, perspire, prickle, protrude, rattle, relax, ripple, sag, shine, shrink, sink, spasm, strain, sweat, tickle, tighten

Verbs and Phrasal Verbs (3): Verbs that Take Chest/Breast or Chests/Breasts as an Object

Serafina bandaged her chest with strips torn from her petticoat.

Brad thumped his chest . “Nobody tells me what to do.”

An arrow pierced the knight’s chest .

A to H adorn (with), bandage (with), bare, batter, beat at (with), beat on (with), blanket (in, with), claw at, clutch (with), compress, cover (with), crush (with), cut (with), decorate (with), display, draw on (with), expand, expose, feel (with), flash, hold, hug

I to S inflate, lacerate (on, with), massage (with), paint (with), palpate, pierce (with), poke (with), press (against), puff (out, up), punch (with), push (with), shake, shave (with), slash (with), slather (with), slice (with), squeeze, stab (with), strike (with), swath (in, with)

T to W thrust out, thump (with), touch (with), uncover, unveil, wax (with), wound (on, with)

Nouns, Both Chests and Breasts

N to T nipples, pecs, pectorals, thorax

Refer to the next two sections as well for suitable nouns.

Nouns, Chests Only

You might (usually in poetry or older works) find breast used as a replacement for chest , as in: He beat upon his breast .

Compared to the plethora of slang and vulgar terms coined by authors for breast(s) , I discovered a dearth of similar words for chest . Fodder for an opinion editorial, perhaps?

B to T breast, Chewbacca sweater, gorilla torso, lung carpet, man boobs, manpelt, manssier-stuffer, muscleini, rib cage, thorax, torso, trunk

Find more words by googling slang terms for chest .

Nouns, Breasts Only

If your character is an uncouth jerk, you might be able to get away with using some of the rude words in this section in dialogue. Otherwise, you’ll invite the ire of readers. As Shakespeare’s Falstaff said, “Discretion is the better part of valor.”

If you need more offensive words, google derogatory terms for breasts or offensive names for breasts .

B to F bazookas, boobs, bosom, bra stuffers, breast-o-raunts, bust, buzzums, casabas, chesticles, chi-chis, cleavage, Daddy’s playground, double-Ds, flotation devices

G to X the girls, healthy lungs, hooters, jugs, knockers, mammary glands, mammas, mammillae, melons, milk tanks, mosquito bites, num-nums, ta-tas, teats, tits, twins, wardrobe malfunctions, XL lungs

Props augment a story or twist it in new directions. Try some of these to add humor, pathos, or intrigue.

A to I angina, beard that reaches to or covers the chest, broken rib, cancer, chest cold, COPD, cough, CPR, crumbs, emphysema, extra nipple, glitter, honey, huge nipples, inflammation

L to W laceration, mastectomy, mastitis, measuring tape, missing nipple, muscle shirt, nipple piercing, pneumonia, scabs, scar, sequins, tattoos, wart

Clichés and Idioms

Chest … chest … chest … breast … breast … breast …

Excessive repetition? Maybe you’ve incorporated too many clichés and idioms. Try these replacements.

close to one’s chest: confidential, hush-hush, secret
strong enough to put hair on one’s chest: powerful, pungent
to bare one’s breast: admit/show vulnerability
to beat (on, upon) one’s chest/breast: bewail, lament, mourn, regret
to get something off one’s chest: admit, confess, reveal
to make a clean breast of it: admit, confess, reveal
to take a spear in the chest: admit, concede, confess
to thump one’s chest: bluster, boast, brag, swagger

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6 thoughts on “ Ways to Describe Chests and Breasts: A Word List for Writers ”

Extremely helpful for me

Thanks, Max.

Good luck with your writing!

Thank you so much for all the diversity. Your awesome for sharing.

Thanks for stopping by, Jodene. I’m glad you found the post helpful.

Stay safe and wonderfully writerly.

I was hoping to find a way to describe the areola, the color of it and the nipple.

Thanks for stopping by, Kim.

Areolas would vary in color depending on race, exposure to sun, excitement, and other factors. Try this post for shades of brown and pink that might suit your WIP:

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/colors/

Conjunctions
Prepositions

Breast Adjectives: Describing Words with Examples

When it comes to describing the beauty and allure of the female form, one area that often captivates our attention is the breasts. These exquisite features possess an undeniable charm, and finding the right words to describe them can enhance our appreciation of their unique qualities. In this article, I’ll be exploring a range of adjectives that can be used to eloquently depict the allure and shape of breasts. From delicate curves to mesmerizing symmetry, we’ll delve into a collection of descriptive words that will help you paint a vivid picture in your mind. So, let’s dive in and discover the perfect adjectives to celebrate the beauty of breasts.

Whether you’re a writer seeking to add depth to your characters or simply someone who appreciates the aesthetics of the female form, having a rich vocabulary of adjectives at your disposal can make all the difference. From the softness of “supple” to the alluring appeal of “voluptuous,” we’ll explore a wide range of descriptive words that capture the essence of breasts. Along the way, I’ll provide examples to showcase how these adjectives can be used effectively to create vivid imagery. So, get ready to expand your vocabulary and bring your descriptions to life as we embark on this journey through the world of adjectives for breasts.

Table of Contents

How to Describe breasts? – Different Scenarios

When it comes to describing breasts, it’s important to choose the right adjectives to evoke the desired imagery. Different scenarios call for different types of descriptions. Whether you’re writing a novel, poem, or simply want to appreciate the aesthetics of the female form, here are some examples of how to describe breasts in various situations:

1. Sensual and Romantic

When depicting a sensual or romantic scene, it’s crucial to use adjectives that elicit passion and desire. Consider words like:

For example: Her curvaceous breasts invited his touch, their supple flesh enticing him closer.

2. Playful and Whimsical

In a lighthearted or playful context, you can opt for adjectives that convey a sense of whimsy or innocence. Some words that fit well include:

For example: Her perky breasts danced as she skipped through the meadow, their bouncy nature adding to her carefree spirit.

3. Strong and Empowering

If you want to highlight the strength and empowerment associated with breasts, choose adjectives that convey confidence and resilience. Consider words like:

For example: Her powerful breasts showcased her strength, each muscle defined and commanding attention.

4. Natural and Organic

To celebrate the natural beauty of breasts, select adjectives that emphasize their organic form and appearance. Some suitable words include:

For example: Her soft breasts, like blossoming flowers, were a testament to the beauty of nature.

Remember, when using these adjectives, it’s important to do so tastefully and respectfully. The ultimate goal is to appreciate the unique qualities of the female form and enhance the imagery in your writing. So, choose your words wisely and let them bring your descriptions to life.

Describing Words for breasts in English

When it comes to describing breasts, there are several adjectives that can be used to paint a vivid picture. These descriptive words can evoke different emotions, highlight different qualities, and create a specific tone in your writing. Let’s explore some of the adjectives that can be used to describe breasts and their examples:

1. Sensual and Romantic Adjectives:

Example: “Her alluring breasts caught my attention, drawing me in like a magnet.”

2. Playful and Whimsical Adjectives:

Example: “Her perky breasts added a touch of playfulness to her charismatic personality.”

3. Strong and Empowering Adjectives:

Example: “She stood tall, her powerful breasts serving as a symbol of her strength and resilience.”

4. Natural and Organic Adjectives:

Example: “Her supple breasts were like delicate flowers, a testament to the beauty of nature.”

Remember, when using these adjectives, it is important to do so tastefully and respectfully. Appreciating the beauty of the human body should always be done in a respectful and consensual manner.

Adjectives for breasts

In this section, I’ll discuss various adjectives that can be used to describe breasts. It’s important to remember that when appreciating the beauty of the human body, these adjectives should be used tastefully and respectfully. Let’s take a look at some positive and negative adjectives for breasts, along with example sentences illustrating their usage.

Positive Adjectives for Breasts with Example Sentences

Exquisite – Her exquisite breasts were like works of art.
Glorious – The sight of her glorious breasts took my breath away.
Voluptuous – She had a voluptuous figure with perfectly proportioned breasts.
Alluring – Her alluring breasts captivated everyone in the room.
Delicate – The delicate curve of her breasts was mesmerizing.
Elegant – Her elegant breasts showcased her natural beauty.
Sensuous – The sensuous feel of her breasts against my skin was electric.
Radiant – Her radiant breasts exuded confidence and grace.
Tantalizing – His eyes were drawn to the tantalizing sight of her breasts.
Teasing – She wore a low-cut top, teasing everyone with a glimpse of her breasts.
Luscious – Her luscious breasts were a sight to behold.
Enchanting – The enchanting shape of her breasts left me speechless.
Sagging – Her sagging breasts showed signs of aging.
Asymmetric – One breast was larger than the other, making it asymmetric.
Flabby – Her flabby breasts lacked firmness and definition.
Uneven – The uneven size of her breasts made her self-conscious.
Disproportionate – Her disproportionately large breasts drew unwanted attention.

Now that we have explored a range of adjectives to describe breasts, it’s important to use them respectfully and tastefully. Whether positive or negative, these adjectives should be used with sensitivity, understanding, and appreciation for the beauty of the human body.

Synonyms and Antonyms with Example Sentences

Synonyms for breasts.

When it comes to describing breasts, there are several synonyms that can be used to capture their beauty. Here are some examples:

Antonyms for Breasts

While we appreciate the beauty of breasts, it’s important to acknowledge that not everyone’s body is the same. Here are some antonyms that describe aspects that may be different:

As we appreciate the beauty of the human body, let’s remember to use these adjectives tastefully and respectfully. Each person is unique, and it’s important to celebrate and respect our differences.

Describing breasts can be a delicate subject, but it’s important to appreciate the beauty of the human body tastefully and respectfully. Throughout this article, we’ve explored a range of adjectives that can be used to describe breasts, both positively and negatively.

When it comes to positive adjectives, words like beautiful, alluring, and stunning capture the captivating nature of breasts. Other adjectives such as lovely, exquisite, and radiant highlight their unique appeal. And let’s not forget about words like gorgeous, tempting, and voluptuous, which emphasize their sensual qualities.

On the other hand, we’ve also discussed negative adjectives that should be used with caution. Terms like sagging, asymmetric, and flabby may describe certain physical characteristics, but it’s important to remember that everyone’s body is unique and should be celebrated.

The variety of adjectives available to describe breasts allows us to appreciate their beauty in a respectful and tasteful manner. So, whether you’re admiring their allure or celebrating their uniqueness, remember to choose your words wisely and embrace the beauty of the human form.

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zaphod Member

Ways to describe female body shape.

Discussion in ' Character Development ' started by zaphod , Jun 17, 2009 .

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); I've run into a huge problem I never foresaw when creating the images of my characters in my head. How do you casually describe a typical looking young female character who is say, roughly 5'7" and 160 lbs? I basically chose this for realism and to imply things about the characters' personality. I really want to describe "the girl at work" who is not supposed to be hot but perhaps attractive in some other way. my issue seems to be arising from the double standards and amount of sensitivity that one, especially a dude, goes about with using adjectives here. My perception tells me "average" on the hyper-critical scale of female body image means a step below barbie doll, and beyond that one runs into gross or pervy sounding adjectives. Ughh...this sucks. As I said I'm a guy too, don't know what that would mean either. Can someone help me?

DarkMaiden273 New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); When he walked into the office he heard the familair laughter of Anita, a twenty-something co-worker, who he had never really thought much about. Glancing over he took in her plain jeans and t-shirt, noting she had a clean, heart-shaped face with soft green eyes, slim and not too tall. She was cute, he thought, in a girl-next-door type of way. Her brown hair was twisted up into a pony-tail now. He turned his attention back to his desk... i don't know. i hope this helps. this is something that i just came up with.

CDRW Contributor Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Or you could wax poetic (and mean) with something like: She was invisible. She was more than invisible. When something is invisible you at least notice that there is an empty space there. If she was ugly I would have noticed her. If she was beautiful I would have noticed her. Tall or short, heavy or skinny, if there was anything distinguishabe about her I would have noticed her. The problem was that she was not in the least bit noticable. She was a heaping mound of mediocrity who's very presence would have screamed "don't notice me," except that screaming draws attention.

Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Who is doing the describing? Is the narration from a character's point of view? If so, and it probably is, you need to see her through the eyes of your character, and speak through his voice. So maybe she's sorta hot and sorta not, but something about her fascinates him. He isn't quite sure what it is about her, but he finds himself unable to stop looking. Don't describe what he wouldn't notice. Most guys wouldn't give a crap about what kind of purse she's carrying, or whether her lip gloss is cerise or coral. Hell, it may be days before he could even tell you what color eyes she has. If you're having trouble putting what he sees into words, do some field work. Hang out where guys are watching girls, and listen to them. Keep in mind that a group of all guys will probably be showing off to their buddies, so the talk is probably not going to be as genuine as when a guy is speaking to his best friend about someone he thinks he likes but is scared to mess up things by saying the wrong thing.

architectus Banned

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); "heart-shaped face" I hope that description dies. I don't know why authors ever started using it. Reading about a woman with a heart face is about as appealing as a woman with an egg head. As far as describing body type, try to think of how he would describe it.

SilverWolf0101 Active Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); It all depends really, but the best way I've come up with is looking at pictures and thinking about how I would describe that person. It also depends on what a guy would look at first on a woman.

seta New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); I don't like it when authors try to go into great depth describing someone's physical attributes. Rather, I like a few guiding points from the author and then let my imagination do the rest of the work. "The soldier who appeared in front of me was large and broad-shouldered. His brawny arms and dark skin stood in direct contrast to the warm and friendly smile on his face. I was gad to see my old friend." I know it's simple and not very poetic, but it illustrates my point that you just crafted an image of the person I was talking about in your head.

Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Although not really a Ray Bradbury fan, in his The Martian Chronicles , he does the most poetic description of two men, one human, one Martian, separated in time and space, but both thinking about the same thing, beautiful women with bodies curved like the lines of boats.

Lil Miss Me New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); The Best Way To Describe A Character... Is not to do it. Nobody wants to sit and read long winded descriptions about characters. Throw in a line here or there. "This that and the other thing" she said while tucking a loose strand of her jet black hair behind her ear. Subtle stuff like that that will eventually creat a full picture. That's my advice.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); "This that and the other thing" she said while tucking a loose strand of her jet black hair behind her ear. Click to expand...

ManhattanMss New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); As far as describing body type, try to think of how he would describe it. Click to expand...

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Lil Miss Me said: ↑ Is not to do it. Nobody wants to sit and read long winded descriptions about characters. Throw in a line here or there. "This that and the other thing" she said while tucking a loose strand of her jet black hair behind her ear. Subtle stuff like that that will eventually creat a full picture. That's my advice. Click to expand...

Smithy New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); I justify a description of a female character with the fact that the POV character is certain he recognises her from somewhere and so is taking her all in, trying to work out where he knows her from. It includes the phrase "china-doll pretty" with regards to her face, does everyone understand what that means or is it too far out and I should think of something else?

JavaMan New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Smithy said: ↑ It includes the phrase "china-doll pretty" with regards to her face, does everyone understand what that means or is it too far out and I should think of something else? Click to expand...

PS Foster Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); In one of my stories I described my female MC as looking like Shania Twain with red hair. Most people know who Shania Twain is, so it described her body, looks, and style all in one.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Careful with that approach. In five years, a reader might scratch his head and say, "Shania Twain? Who's that?"

ChaseRoberts New Member

NaCl Contributor Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); "ways to describe female body shape" Braille...give me braille every time! LOL

KurtistheTurtle New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Wreybies said: ↑ Although not really a Ray Bradbury fan, in his The Martian Chronicles , he does the most poetic description of two men, one human, one Martian, separated in time and space, but both thinking about the same thing, beautiful women with bodies curved like the lines of boats. Click to expand...

echo_wolf New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); If she is just a normal, average girl, I see a soft round face. Now you have body shape to deal with. You can use words like, soft feminen curves, or just curves, without being suggestive. If you are commenting on her upper reagon dont use soemthing like big boobs or hooters, insted, a reasonable bust. I hope this helps. Oh and for some reason, when I see a height of 5'5" or above for a girl, I would think skinnier. But this is coming from someone who is 5'0" weighing 120.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); Actually, the words you use in description can reveal a lot about the character whose POV you are presenting; so does the choice of features to describe. So describing her as having "large luscious hooters" or "bodacious sweater puppies" would say more about the POV character than about the girl he (or she) is describing. A different person might describe her as "curvy and gorgeous." So I wouldn't say don't use the more sophomoric terms. I'd say instead to choose wording that tells you about BOTH characters. It doesn't mean the writer thinks that way, unless you are using a more anonymous POV.

AliceInBookland New Member

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); I think most people here are missing the "body shape" in the title, unless you are, in fact, looking for help describing her face and appearance in general. With regards to the body shape, I give you this advice: try to find a balance between something your male readers will understand, and something your female readers will understand. For example: Her blonde hair moved in a strawberry-scented cloud as she laughed politely at Dan. My eyes drifted, as usual, to the swell of her hips, swathed in a knee-length brown skirt that fit a touch too tight for modesty. Gabrielle would be in my dreams that night, with every inch of her soft, curvy body. A bad example for your specific question, since this refers to a woman who clearly attracts a lot of male attention. But to make my point: Male readers, when they see "soft, curvy body" are going to think of a pin-up girl, a small waist and rounded buttocks, a full bra and toned legs. A female reader is more likely to think of a more womanly character, possibly plus-sized. We've been conditioned to think that "curvy" and "womanly" are buzzwords for fat chicks to make themselves feel better. A female author might describe Cameron Diaz as "a leggy, superficial blonde whose exaggerated laugh made everyone wince at the possiblity of her striped tube top slipping down to her waist." A male author might describe her as "a tall, athletic blonde, with a wide, genuine smile and legs for miles." Depending on which sex you're writing for, that will help determine how to describe your character. 5' 7" and 160 pounds is a healthy weight that, distributed well, can be extremely attractive. For men who prefer more solid women, that's near the perfect weight. Do you want the main character to see her as slightly overweight, or does he eventually notice her and realize how perfect she is? For a woman who's simply not that noticeable until you get to know her, try this: don't really mention her body type until the moment your character does. The moment he notices the soft warmth of her thigh brushing his leg on the bench, or the moment she bends over to get a file from the drawer and he realizes how her ass is just begging to be spanked. Two very different characters, just then, but I don't know who your character is. I hope I've helped a bit.

Some Guy Manguage Langler Supporter Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); If you can sell your character to your audience, you can sell any description he as an individual would use. For instance, my MC is a self-admitted high school moron, who watches a lot of things, including girls. If he notices her ass, he says "ass". Likewise "titties", "pussy", "nipples". If she's plump, it's "plump" (he likes plump). Likewise "chunky", "hottie", "Granola*", "fat", "pretty", "plain", and so on. Men/boys (same thing) are physically wired to take apart and measure everything , especially women. Then, determine characteristics that match their preferences, or add a characteristic to their preferences. Status will then be applied; mate, potential mate, relative, friend, enemy, etc. Do Not, Not, not describe what your character sees through reader filters. It's ultimately about what he feels when he sees a woman's (body) part, shape, whatever. Here's a more important point: to men, women shift, move, and present differently in every single moment, even when they sleep. A man is going to take that second look because of the way something moves on a woman more than just for contemplation of a snapshot. Maybe he likes the way her titties move as she breathes/walks/skydives... not for size. That's where the drama is. What does average mean to him ? *A Granola-Girl is a girl you would hike to the top of the hill with and just sit and eat Granola and watch the sunrise.

deadrats Contributor Contributor

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_e6ef5aafa9d1a26d0f52e80a8aef5112'); }); I recently sold a short story where I described a character as average. Didn't feel the need to get into it more or explain what average meant. It worked for the editor who bought my story. I'm just saying I wouldn't overthink it.

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BRYN DONOVAN

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Master List of Physical Description for Writers

man with mustache and slight beard | MASTER LIST OF PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS #master lists for writers free ebook #master lists for writers bryn donovan pdf #character description #how to describe a character's appearance #physical adjectives #character physical description generator #distinguishing features for characters #describing facial features

I created this list of ways to describe people

because physical description, when done well, helps the readers see characters in their minds. But sometimes when you’re in the middle of writing, it can be hard to think of physical adjectives and distinguishing features for characters. I find that describing facial features can be especially tricky!

That’s why I created this long list of physical characteristics. It’s kind of like a character description generator, and it’ll help you when you’re trying to think of how to describe a character’s appearance.

Young woman with pensive expression and long brown hair. "Master List of Physical Descriptions for Writers - pin or bookmark for future reference!"

Eyes – General

For all the words about describing facial features, I’m focusing more on physical descriptions rather than emotional expressions, though there’s a little crossover! You can also check out my long list of facial expressions.

heavy-lidded

fringed with long lashes

with sweeping eyelashes

with thick eyelashes

By the way, this post on how to describe (and not describe) the eyes of an Asian character is really great. Check it out.

Eyes – Color

Brown is the most common eye color by far. Green is quite rare.

chocolate brown

cocoa brown

coffee brown

sienna brown

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cornflower blue

Arctic blue

glacial blue

crystal blue

electric blue

slate blue / slate gray

storm blue / storm gray

silver / silver gray

concrete gray

gunmetal gray

Skin – Color

Josh Roby made a great chart of skin tones and descriptor words, and I got a lot of these words from him. You can get that here .

The quote from N.K. Jemisin interested me: “I get really tired of seeing African-descended characters described in terms of the goods that drove, and still drive, the slave trade—coffee, chocolate, brown sugar. There’s some weird psychosocial baggage attached to that.”

cream / creamy

rose / rosy

Skin – General

Some of these are better for the face, and some are better for other parts of the body.

translucent

luminescent

with large pores

weather-beaten

Face – Structure

heart-shaped

high forehead

broad forehead

prominent brow ridge

protruding brow bone

sharp cheekbones

high cheekbones

angular cheekbones

hollow cheeks

jutting chin

pointed chin

receding chin

double chin

dimple in chin

visible Adam’s apple

People don’t write much about noses, but they can be distinguishing features for characters!

Cupid’s bow

straight teeth

gap between teeth

gleaming white teeth

Facial Hair (or lack thereof)

clean-shaven

smooth-shaven

mutton-chop sideburns

a few days’ growth of beard

five o’ clock shadow

Hair – General

I threw a few hairstyles in here, though not many.

shoulder-length

neatly combed

slicked down / slicked back

buzzed / buzz cut

widow’s peak

Hair – Color

There are some repeats here from the eye color section!

salt and pepper

charcoal gray

brown sugar

tawny brown

toffee brown

Titian-haired

strawberry blonde

butterscotch

sandy blond

fair-haired

Body Type – General

average height

barrel-chested

heavy / heavy-set

pot-bellied

full-figured

leggy / long-legged

broad-shouldered

sloping shoulders

stubby fingers

long fingers

ragged nails

grimy fingernails

ink-stained

This list and many more are in my book Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plot Ideas, Character Traits, Names, and More . Check it out if you’re interested!

Master Lists for Writers by Bryn Donovan #master lists for writers free pdf #master lists for writers free ebook #master lists for writers free kindle

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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Physical Feature Entry: Curvy Build

June 29, 2013 by BECCA PUGLISI

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel ‘list-like’, while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight. One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help ‘tell the story’ about who your character is and what they’ve been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character’s physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.

Descriptors: buxom, voluptuous, curvaceous, sensual, bosomy

People Likely to have an Curvy Build : confident women, celebrities

Famous Examples :

Marilyn Monroe
Dolly Parton
Beyonce…

Thoughts on Curves:

With curves, attraction is in the eye of the beholder. For some, they don’t consider a woman curvy unless she’s got big boobs, a tiny waist and not a scrap of extra meat anywhere else. Others view full-figured women as ‘curvy’. The best way to show curves…

Simile Help:

Connie floated across the room toward our table, swaying her hips like a runway model. She might be pushing forty, but the way her yellow dress melted into her curves caused even the prettiest twenty-something to bristle and send a glare her way…

Clichés to Avoid : curves in all the right places

Twists on the Stereotypical Curvy Build:

Curvy women always seem to be beautiful and young. What’s wrong with a middle-aged woman having strong bosom to waist to hip proportions? Or give us a woman with a beautiful body but a plain face?..

Describe your character’s features in a way that reveals more than just a physical description. Show what he looks like while also reinforcing his personality and emotional state, thereby doing more with less.

Need concrete examples of how to describe your character in a compelling, magnetic way? Good news! This thesaurus has been integrated into our online library at One Stop For Writers . There, you can find help with metaphors and similes , as well as the best ways to describe your character using movement. The entire Physical Feature collection is cross-referenced and linked for easy navigation. If you’re interested in seeing a free sampling of the updated Physical Feature Thesaurus and our other descriptive collections, head on over and register at One Stop!

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers —a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

Reader Interactions

July 6, 2013 at 3:48 pm

Great post with awesome examples. It’s nice to see a discussion on curvy body types as compared to the emphasis on the ulta-thin model types. It seems to me that Marilyn Monroe is still considered a sex symbol, so that speaks volumes.

July 6, 2013 at 1:52 pm

I really enjoyed this post! Loved the examples. Great to encourage we writers to break out of the same old boring stereotypes, too. 🙂

July 1, 2013 at 2:18 am

Great post, Angela! Being on the full figure side of the coin, I liked what you had to say there: “Others view full-figured women as ‘curvy’.” 🙂

Good points made throughout; all very helpful.

June 30, 2013 at 11:49 am

Thanks, Angela. There is a lot to think about here. Breaking stereotypes almost always makes for a more interesting read.

June 29, 2013 at 10:03 pm

I guess what I meant by confident is that there is such emphasis on women to be skinny. Therefore, many women who are comfortable with being curvy are confident in how they look and don’t fall prey to the “you must be skinny to be beautiful” train of thought. I think there are enough women out there to qualify to put this in the “likely” category, but no, certainly not all curvy women are confident and i wouldn’t want to imply that they are. Thanks for weighing in! 🙂

June 29, 2013 at 9:58 pm

Oh, god, the granny example. I’m dying.

I would argue that women with a curvy build aren’t necessarily “confident.” Some have had the experience of being treated as sex symbols, and feel extremely uncomfortable with it. And with all this recent focus on being thin, other “curvy” women feel that their curves mean they’re “fat.”

Another idea for an unconventional “curvy” lady might be someone who tries to hide their shape.

Crafting Your Narrator’s Emotional Truth: A Look at Nora Ephron’s “A Few Words About Breasts”

by Marilyn | Oct 2, 2014 | craft , Memoir , Uncategorized | 4 comments

“What ALL do we see then, when we look at the body anew? Particularly those parts that have been fetishized and plasticized, deified and desired, such as the female breast. For the literary essayist, a breast is rarely just a breast.”

Barrie Jean Borich

Recently, while preparing to lead a writing workshop for women with breast cancer, I pulled Nora Ephron’s memoir essay “A Few Words About Breasts” off the shelf.

“A Few Words About Breasts” is not about breast cancer. Ephron, who died of a blood disorder at the age 71 in 2012, never had breast cancer as far as I know.

But I wanted to provide the women in my workshop with a breast narrative that elevates breasts to a subject worthy of literature, a subject that is part of a larger narrative—both personal and cultural—and demonstrates a woman’s relationship to her breasts as integral to her relationship to herself and to her emotional truth.

In memoir, emotional truth is the substance of the story we are telling. It provides the emotional arc of the narrative—the deeper story—and makes visible the internal obstacles our narrator faces as well as the insights she gleans (or not) over the course of the story.

Plumbing the emotional truth of our own life experiences demands that we become vulnerable on the page so that our readers can connect with our narrator on an emotional level.

Developing our narrator’s character, however—rendering her as a complex, multifaceted human being with gifts and flaws, wounds and wisdom—is no easy task. Why not just ask a fish to describe water, right?

But as memoirists, we are obligated to see with clear vision the internal obstacles our narrator faces and to give shape and voice to this interior landscape on the page.

This challenge intensifies when writing about a subject such as breasts that is deeply personal and considered in the eyes of the culture a source of shame. You’re not supposed to talk about breasts! (Indeed, in my experience with breast cancer, society deems it more acceptable to talk about breast cancer, emphasis on cancer, than about the breasts that have the cancer.)

Ephron, of course, defies acceptable code of conduct.

“A Few Words About Breasts,” originally published in Esquire in 1972, conveys Ephron’s experience as a small-breasted woman who came of age during a time when small breasts were, well, not fashionable. (Funny to think of breasts as either “in” or “out” of fashion—like shoe style or skirt length—depending on their size and shape.) As Ephron puts it, “It was the 1950s for God’s sake. Jane Russell. Cashmere sweaters.”

By writing about her breasts without shame or apology, Ephron provides a window into her self-perception, which is shaped largely by a culture that judges her breasts inadequate. She crafts her narrator’s emotional truth with such precision that we feel her internal struggle in relationship to her breasts, and we become privy to the lifelong internal conflict this relationship poses.

The question for us as memoirists is, How does she do this?

By keeping her lens on key reactions to her breasts—both her own reactions and others’ reactions—Ephron invites us to experience blow-by-blow the unfolding of her emotional truth, which becomes the gripping internal arc of her narrative.

People’s reactions, after all, reveal what makes them tick.

By writing reaction into our memoir stories, we can reveal with a few strokes of our pen our narrator’s internal landscape, effectively bringing her character to life.

Ephron begins her internal arc at the point of her narrator’s desire for a bra at adolescence. All subsequent reactions that drive her internal arc forward stem from this initial desire.

First, there is her mother’s reaction to this desire:

“’I want to buy a bra,’ I said to my mother one night. ‘What for?’ she said. My mother was really hateful about bras, and by the time my third sister had gotten to the point where she was ready to want one, my mother had worked the whole business into a comedy routine. ‘Why not use a Band-Aid instead?’”

This paragraph, which goes on to include the aforementioned statement about Jane Russell and cashmere sweaters, closes on the narrator’s reaction to her mother’s sardonic reaction:

“’I am too old to wear an undershirt.’ Screaming. Weeping. Shouting. ‘Then don’t wear and undershirt,’ said my mother. ‘But I want to buy a bra.’ ‘What for?’”

Ending on the same note where it began, this paragraph establishes a loop-like pattern in the narrative—another person’s reaction to Ephron’s small breasts followed by her reaction to their reaction—that mimics Ephron’s life experience as she endures the scrutiny of other people’s reactions to the size of her breasts.

Ephron’s reactions change over time, mirroring her internal changes. When her future mother-in-law pulls her aside and offers unsolicited sexual advice on how to hide the fact of her small breasts from her husband in bed, Ephron says, “’Thank you.’” A reaction that brings to light the toll cultural judgment of her breasts has taken on her sense of self over the years: she’s lost some of her early fight.

That fight comes full circle when we witness Ephron as a young professional and budding writer at a cocktail party mingling with a woman who says to a man who’s just joined their conversation, “’The two of us together couldn’t fill an A cup.’”

Ephron’s reaction to this other woman’s behavior reveals an inner shift: she is beginning to see with clearer vision her fraught relationship with her own breasts as her internal arc reaches its emotional peak:

“Why does she say that? It isn’t even true, dammit, so why? Is she even more addled than I am on this subject? Does she honestly believe there is something wrong with her size breasts, which, it seems to me, now that I look hard at them, are just right?”

By crafting key reactions culled from the turning point moments of her own breast narrative, Ephron voices the deeper truth of her experience as a small-breasted woman in a society that belittles (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun!) small breasts. The cumulative effect of these reactions is nothing short of a page-turner.

And a page-turner narrative driven by emotional truth is a gift for our readers. It shines light on what it means to be vulnerable and human.

Why not try you own hand at writing reaction as a way to craft your narrator’s emotional truth? Here’s a two-part writing prompt to get you started:

Writing Prompt: Put Your Narrator’s Reaction into Action

Part i: create your breast timeline.

Create a timeline of the turning point moments of your breast narrative. Turning point moments are moments that leave you changed. The change can be internal or external or both. For example, developing breast buds, first bra, nursing for the first time, being teased for your breasts, breast cancer, and breasts as a source of sexual pleasure are all turning point moments that might appear on a Breast Timeline. Set your timer for ten minutes. Don’t worry about chronology. Just get the turning point moments in your breast narrative onto the page in whatever order they come to mind.

Part II: Write Your Narrator’s Reaction

Circle one of the turning point moments on your Breast Timeline. What was your reaction to this experience? Was someone else’s reaction to your breasts part of this experience? Write this experience by turning your lens on the reactions it contains. This will help you to develop your narrator’s character and craft the deeper emotional truth of her experience as a female. Set your timer for 10 minutes and write. You can do this for as many entries on your Breast Timeline as you wish.

And when you finish, leave a comment below. I would LOVE to hear your experience with this writing prompt. Did your writing of the timeline or of reactions bring you new insight about your relationship with your breasts?

What a rich and fertile topic–and what a beautiful explication of Ephron’s essay. I’m surprised to find (grateful to discover) that motherhood, over time, has evened out much of the early shame ledger for me, because it freed me from the trappings of strictly sexualized associations. Had a wonderful teacher in college who used to say breasts are for 2 things: a woman’s own pleasure, and feeding her children (struck us all as so radical at that time). It would take years for me to live what she said, but I’m grateful she said it so early on. Wonderful writing exercise…I will be back after I’ve written, when I can.

Hi, Tania. What an insightful teacher, and isn’t it amazing that it takes us so long to learn or as you say “live” her lesson? A sign of just how entrenched the shame is until we realize it. Then there’s no stopping us :). Look so forward to hearing how the exercise goes for you! All best, M

Wow. Thank you, Marilyn. Ephon’s experience took me back to my own mother’s “you don’t need a bra” reaction to me when I screwed up my courage to ask for one, and then humiliated me further when she finally took me to the children’s clothing store where we shopped and announced to the clerk, “we’d like to introduce this young woman to her first bra.” I did the exercise, though, on an experience at age 18 when a male co-worker at the Vermont resort where I had a summer job, in front of a group of us, suddenly reached over, grabbed my bikini-clad left nipple, gave it a severe twist, and then laughed, “titty twist!” My reaction then (1972) : confusion, shame, humiliation. My reaction now: outrage. I see the male entitlement that, at its worst, is rape – this is mine to do with as I please. How I wish I’d had the wherewithal to kick him squarely in the nuts, but if I had, no doubt I would have been labelled an angry bitch who couldn’t take a joke.

Wow, Susan, isn’t it amazing how many stories and deep, rich emotional truths our breasts hold for us? Thank you for sharing this incredibly powerful comment. Have you seen the latest issues of Harper’s? Rebecca Solnit has a piece on women and silence. It’s fascinating. Addresses the experiences you mention in your comment. All best, M

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How to Describe Women Without Degrading Them

The Expanse's Avasarala is too busy looking fabulous for any sexist nonsense.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the sexist ways women are described in fiction. Given the normalization of the male gaze, this has left some men feeling unsure of how to write a positive description. And it’s not just men who describe women in problematic ways. While women are less likely to objectify female characters, internalized misogyny can still sneak into our work. So let’s look at the cultural baggage that comes into play when we describe a woman’s appearance and how we can make our description women-friendly.

Pushing Back Against Cultural Pressure

Hermione dressed up for the dance in Goblet of Fire.

The first thing to be aware of is simply that our culture obsesses over the appearance of women much more than it does men. This means that women are held to a higher standard when it comes to their looks, they are expected to invest more time and money into looking good, and the public feels entitled to scrutinize every detail of their appearances. In many places, a woman can’t even walk to the corner store for eggs without strangers commenting as though she’s on a runway and not on a personal errand.

Not only are women expected to look flawless, but they’re also expected to look that way without effort. Most women have to invest in their appearances to meet society’s expectations, but if they don’t hide their efforts, they could be labeled as vain, shallow, or manipulative. This creates a constant Catch-22, making it impossible for the vast majority of women to live up to cultural standards.

Avoid Over-Focusing on Women’s Appearance

To avoid reinforcing this pressure, first compare your description of women to your description of men:

Are you spending more words on the appearance of women?
Are women more likely to be described as attractive than men?
Are some women described as repulsive while the less-attractive men are given more neutral description?

You’ll want to have more physical description the more important a character is. However, if you find that you’re spending more words per woman than per man because you have a slew of minor male characters and no women in similar roles, that’s a big problem that you’d better fix.

Her Appearance Should Reflect Her Effort

Instead of writing women who were born looking photoshopped, be realistic about the amount of effort that goes into a polished appearance.

Not all women put much effort into their looks, so not all female characters should either. But if a woman isn’t paying attention to her appearance, that should show with details like frizzy hair, chapped lips, ruddy skin, or wrinkled clothes . Maybe her hair is cropped short so she doesn’t have to comb or style it, or maybe she has a messy bun that’s actually a half-assed bun and not an artful display. Don’t present these things like they are a problem – women don’t need to look perfect, and some women focus their energy elsewhere. But also don’t use their lack of effort to make them seem special or better than other women, aka, “not like other girls.”

On the flip side, let some female protagonists invest in their appearances. A female character might wear cosmetics, spend some time with her hair in curlers, or hog the bathroom for an hour every morning. Don’t describe this as unattractive or a personal failing. On the contrary, the time she puts into her appearance should make her look good. After an hour in the bathroom, she might emerge with shiny curls, perfect-looking skin, long dark lashes, and a smooth, color-coordinated outfit.

Validate a Wide Variety of Looks

After that, it’s important to give women a wide variety of appearances and treat all of them as valid ways to be.

Please include some women who are heavy, old, hairy, or have other traits outside the zone of conventional attractiveness. Present those things as neutral in value and just one trait of her appearance, not something that defines the way she looks.
Don’t penalize women for being feminine . Wearing frills, lace, or pink doesn’t make a woman silly or frivolous. Similarly, rejecting those things doesn’t make her tough or practical; that is, unless she’s changing out of her lacy skirt for practical reasons, like she’s about to go hiking.
Don’t force white standards of beauty on all women . The darkness or paleness of a woman’s skin should be described as a neutral trait. Let black women have natural hairstyles that are described as normal and professional. If you are writing about a woman of color with blue eyes, don’t single out her eyes as her most beautiful feature.

When working to counter cultural pressure, it’s critical to remember that reverse pressure is still pressure. For instance, if you say that women shouldn’t wear burkas because burkas are sexist, you’re only reinforcing the notion that other people get to decide what women wear. If you say that women should wear whatever they want, burkas or bikinis, now you’re actually removing pressure. The same goes for weight loss or anything women do to meet cultural expectations.

Focusing on the Person in the Body

Glimmer, Adora, Scorpia, and Catra dressed up for the Princess Ball.

When narration prioritizes the male gaze, women are presented like they’re on sale at a meat market. The attention goes to the size and shape of all of their body parts, and who they are as a person is ignored – bonus points if their bodies are compared to food or other consumables. This is what is commonly called “objectification,” and it’s what people have been criticizing in narration written by men.

Similarly, many of our stories stress that women must be beautiful, and they aren’t really beautiful unless they won the biological lottery. Women are all supposed to be that fairy-tale princess who is the youngest of three daughters and has lips as red as roses. This once again takes a woman’s personality and agency out of the equation, instead focusing on the inherent value she supposedly has.

Describe Her Persona

A good way to counter this is to focus on the personality your character has and how that’s expressed in a unique look.

Does she love gardening? Maybe she has grass-stained overalls and tanned arms. Her hair is casually tied back so it’s out of the way.
Is she artistic? Maybe she expresses her creativity with a carefully color-coordinated outfit with a patchwork skirt she sewed herself from fun patterned fabrics.
Is she bad and broody? Maybe she wears a leather jacket with chains and black lipstick .

This doesn’t mean you can’t describe her body at all, but keep it general and neutral in value. Go ahead and say whether she’s young or old, but don’t present being young as attractive or being old as ugly. She might be tall or short, dark or pale, thin or heavy.

Use Style for Wish-Fulfillment

Even when women write for other women, it can be hard to escape cultural pressure. Often, wish-fulfillment for women includes a character who thinks of herself as ordinary looking, so she’s relatable, but is still described as attractive – particularly in the eyes of other people. That way, women can still have the wish-fulfillment of being beautiful. This pattern may feel good to some women in the short term, but it still reinforces the pressure to be naturally good-looking.

Instead, you can give women wish-fulfillment by outfitting them with some smashing styles. If your protagonists go to a formal event, describe all the nice things they are wearing. While lots of women like dresses, every woman has different tastes and style preferences. Some women in your story may prefer masculine clothing – make her look dashing in a top hat and tailcoat. While we’re at it, please include male and nonbinary protagonists in the fun.

In addition to clothing, hairstyles, makeup, and jewelry are all good things to highlight. If you’re a style newb, you can look up some pretty pictures online and google things like “types of skirts” so you know what terms to use. Many outlets also write about the fashion choices in popular TV shows, so that can be a great place to get inspiration for speculative-fiction outfits. When in doubt, give an outfit two to three colors total, and choose either gold or silver jewelry – not both. For fun, include embroidery or jewelry featuring symbols such as plants and animals.

You can also give characters wish-fulfillment clothing for situations outside of big social events, but keep things practical. Don’t make her trek overland in a long, delicate skirt . Instead, give her a finely woven cloak that helps her blend in and makes her look mysterious.

If you are going to use physical features to describe a woman as good-looking, I recommend focusing on her face. That’s where we show our thoughts and feelings, so a description of a face is less inherently objectifying than descriptions of other parts of her body. However, resist waxing poetic about her lips unless a kiss is imminent.

Including Sexy Attire in a Positive Way

The most contentious part of designing a woman’s appearance is whether or not she is wearing clothing that is tight or revealing. All too often, sexy clothing is clearly included to please men, and it feels objectifying to women. However, that doesn’t mean that women in stories should never wear sexy attire. Women are often stigmatized for wearing sexy clothing or otherwise taking control of their sexuality, and never showing fictional woman in sexy attire won’t fix that. If you’re reading this article through, considering the issues raised here, and are willing to follow a few guidelines, then I trust you to narrate a scene where a woman is wearing a sexy outfit.

Break the Madonna-Whore Binary

The first thing you need to know is that attractive women are generally sorted into two opposing stereotypes: the “Madonna” and the “whore.”

The Madonna is virtuous, modest, and chaste. She is naturally beautiful, but she doesn’t know that she’s beautiful or make an effort to enhance her appearance. Female love interests are almost always Madonnas.
The whore is vain, manipulative, and promiscuous. She uses sexy clothing and makeup to look more attractive to men. She knows that she’s sexy and uses it to her advantage. In stories, she’s used for objectifying eye candy and the occasional one-night stand with a male hero.

Both the Madonna and the whore are unrealistic caricatures. This may shock you, but most women wear fairly modest clothing in their daily lives and then choose to wear something revealing when they go to the beach or to a club. They actually change how sexy their clothing is depending on what’s appropriate in that situation. It’s mind blowing, I know.

However, our stories keep sorting women into these sexist categories. So when a fictional woman wears sexy clothing in situations where it doesn’t make sense or acts really seductive, that’s a big red flag. It means she was designed as a “whore” – a sexual object for men. This is what you need to avoid when you depict women in revealing clothing.

Besides showing regular women occasionally wear sexy attire in reasonable and realistic ways, it’s also critical not to associate sexy clothes with any kind of character flaw. In many stories, villainous women will wear sexier clothing than heroines will, or a female protagonist will start wearing sexy clothing as an indication that she’s morally compromised or acting out . As soon as she recovers, she’ll wear modest clothing again. These depictions support destructive Madonna-whore stereotypes.

She Should Always Be in Control of Her Appearance

The demonization of sexual women is often in conflict with society’s frequent desire to see women be sexy. This desire doesn’t always come from men. For women, occasionally dressing up in sexy clothing can be a fun fantasy. So our stories have concocted a gross way of making female protagonists sexy while maintaining their Madonna status: the sexy clothing is forced on them.

At its most benign, this trope might involve a hired stylist who picks out the sexy clothing for the protagonist, and she grumbles but wears it anyway. Worse, she might have to wear sexy clothing because she’s going undercover as a French maid or because a man has tricked her into putting something skimpy on. Sometimes it’s a full-on Return of the Jedi situation, where the protagonist is a sexy slave who’s forced to put on a gold bikini. Regardless, these stories take away a woman’s control over her body and then treat that like it’s no big deal.

This pattern – wherein women have to avoid the stigma of being voluntarily sexual, and therefore control is taken away from them to make them sexual – is what links slut-shaming to rape culture . So, suffice to say, I really, really don’t want you to do this.

Please note that describing women in scenes where they are dressing or bathing is just a slightly less gross way to accomplish the same toxic goal. Women are not trying to present their half-dressed selves to the world, so don’t make your narration into a Peeping Tom.

Keep It About Her, Not Spectators

A common misogynist stereotype is that women like to weaponize their appearances. Supposedly, every aspect of how a woman looks is carefully designed to manipulate others. Though in real life cleavage is often the unintentional result of a normal V-neck shirt and a chest size that’s big enough, many men will assume it’s a calculated gesture meant for them. This idea is then used to justify harassing women, and it furthers the harmful narrative that women are secretly in charge through social manipulation or that women use seduction to control men.

That’s why it’s important to frame a woman’s appearance as being about her and not about the effect it has on other people. This goes double when she’s wearing something sexy.

A woman may wear a short dress because she knows it looks good and that makes her feel more confident, but don’t say she wears it to wrap men around her finger.
She can be wearing skinny jeans because it’s the current fashion, not because walking down the sidewalk will get people’s attention.
If she’s gotten into shape at the gym, she might celebrate that achievement by buying herself a new bikini that shows off her abs and wearing it out to the beach. But she shouldn’t get the bikini to show up a rival.

This doesn’t mean that women won’t ever use their appearances to make the right impression. But if a character’s doing that in your story, it should be because she’s headed into a high-pressure situation – like a job interview. Don’t treat her clothing like it gives her mind control.

If you’re writing from the point of view of a man nearby, you can say what she’s wearing and that she looks good in it, but don’t describe all her body parts or suggest that men have no choice but to stare. The idea that men can’t help themselves around women is used to justify sexual harassment and assault.

Our culture still has a long way to go in responsibly handling issues of appearance and attraction, and Hollywood is not helping. When in doubt, put lots of women in your story, make them all different, and let their appearance follow their personality.

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Comments on How to Describe Women Without Degrading Them

I think it’s also important to remember that a woman will not pay the same attention to her attire in every situation. Back home after a long day, she’ll most likely lose the bra for comfort and hang out in an old sweater and a pair of sweat pants or yoga pants. Not because the yoga pants are tight, but because they’re very comfortable to wear while you’re doing housework or hanging out on the couch with your dinner. Women generally do not hang out alone at home in lacy underwear and perfect makeup – that’s a male fantasy. Likewise, clothing for bed is usually not chosen for looks, but for comfort. Women also keep ‘period panties’ in their wardrobe – old and cheap panties they wear during their period, because it’s much less of a problem (and cheaper) if they get stained with blood and the stain doesn’t wash out.

On the other hand, a woman going out for a night will pay attention to her looks, will do a makeup as professionally as she can, will carefully choose all parts of her wardrobe and all accessoires to fit together, will colour-coordinate her appearance. A woman just going for a drink with friends, on the other hand, will not make as much of a fuss of it. It always depends where she expects to end up. A woman who goes out a lot in a more or less modern setting and has many formal dinners/parties to go to might have a ‘little black dress’ of sorts – the style depends on fashion and on how confident a woman feels about her body, but in a lot of formal situations, you can’t go wrong with a black dress going down mid-thigh to knee level as a woman. Black can be combined with every colour and, if it’s not patterned itself, every pattern, which means that one dress can be combined with many different types of shoes, purses, shawls, belts, etc. Since all of those are usually cheaper than a dress, that saves money. Likewise, a woman in business may have two or three business costumes in different, but complimenting colours, so she can switch out jackets and skirts or trousers during the week, creating a different ensemble every day. Generally speaking, black, grey, beige, and red or blue fit well with each other and can be freely combined. With white blouses underneath, you can walk around looking a little different, but always professional every day for relatively little money – especially if the cuts of your costumes are more on the classic side which never really goes out of style.

My female characters look and dress very differently. Jane Browne dresses comfy when she can get away with her ‘cargo pants and hoodie’ signature outfit, but she can very well dress up for a social gathering (or wear twin-sets and skirt as the ‘niece’ in one book). She’s aware of the way she dresses herself, because it’s part of her job. Every agent, no matter the gender, should know how they present themselves in a certain situation. Her alter-ego Jane Doe (from an alternate universe series I’m writing myself) prefers leather jacket, tight jeans, and heavy boots for her criminal work, but also knows how to dress up and change her looks for situations where that’s useful (such as conning someone). When going out, once she has gone nominally legal, she prefers an evening suit, since her girlfriend usually wears beautiful dresses. Edith Grand, a soldier/former mercenary who turns up in both series, is very tall and strong in build and usually dresses in uniforms, uniform parts, or similar clothing. She keeps her hair in an altered crew cut and usually doesn’t mind her looks too much – they’re not important for her work or her life. Gabrielle Munson dresses in male clothing, because she pretends to be a man. She wears dark suits, white shirts, a slouch hat, and always gloves, both to hide her not-quite-male hands and because her necromantic power sometimes bleeds into her hands and makes them feel icy cold. Maddie Dempsey, who has a male alter ego in the vigilante known as the Eye, dresses feminine as the girl reporter she is in her official life, but in a baggy suit (with a padded vest to look more male in build underneath) when out as the Eye.

Generally speaking, it pays off to think about what your female character is going to do in their clothing. If it’s more of a party or a formal affair, clothing will be more expensive and they’ll pay more attention to their looks. If it’s for travelling through the country side, clothing will be far more practical and made from fabrics which do not tear easily, they might forego makeup and will usually just gather their hair somewhat. If they’re working, their work will dictate what they wear or how they do their hair – from representative clothing and coiffed hair for a secretary to dungarees and a braid or bun for a mechanic.

Thank you for this article Chris, I think it is much needed!

As a not conventionally attractive woman myself, I’d like to add that having a gorgeous female protagonist often feels alienating to me, even if it was intended as wish fulfillment, as I have trouble identifying with that. I much prefer average-looking protagonists, but maybe that is just a personal preference.

I also think that we should try to get away from the notion that a love interest has to be beautiful (or instantly recognized as beautiful, as this is something I believe develops together with a positive relationship and attraction). Why not have one or two characteristics that are usually considered unattractive (such as a crooked nose, not-great teeth, large ears, whatever) described in a neutral tone, and not mattering at all in the developing romance?

“While we’re at it, please include male and nonbinary protagonists in the fun.” Yes please! I’d also like to see more male and nonbinary characters engaging in the examples of primping and showing off their bodies that you discussed how to describe respectfully.

Additionally, I’d also like to see more men depicted in the sorts of sexualised ways that more often get associated with women (though I don’t think I’d want that for nonbinary characters, since “sex object” is one of the few depictions that gender-ambiguous characters regularly get when they show up at all). Labyrinth is my go-to example for that sort of sexy depiction of male characters, though it does veer into the “sexy costume = villain” trope that you mentioned.

I’d recommend reading this tongue-in-cheek article where men are described as women in literature; https://www.themarysue.com/if-male-authors-described-men-like-women/

That was very entlighting, especially the faux-soical-engineering part. Some concerens about the woman i write and draw are gone – but i found some points to correct too.

I found it always easier to frist think of the personality and archtype of a character and base the cloth around that. I also tend to ask: “Do i belive a character would choose this clothing willingly? And why? When no: then don’t” – sometimes help avoid übersexy BS and other unpractical nonsense.

Hope this makes a little sense ^^’ Thanks a bunch :3

It definitely makes sense. Once your character is fleshed out, you know whether or not they’d wear something. And if they’d wear something in the situation in which you want them to wear it.

One thing I would like to see more is a disabled woman who is considered (and considers herself) beautiful. Preferably w/out fetishization or infantilization. And if possible, w/ enough self-confidence that she is not desperately GRATEFUL to anyone who considers her attractive. Nor should another character get “special points” for considering her attractive, as if that’s not normal

In the erotic graphic novel series “Omaha the Cat Dancer”, the sexually active Shelly Hine did not lose her sexuality or her interest in sex when she lost the use of her legs and started using a wheelchair.

More of that, please

And while we’re at it, can we have a cis character think a trans character is beautiful, w/out freaking out after learning that the beautiful character is trans?

Just to touch on your second point: for the last couple of years the long running webcomic Questionable Content (seriously long-running, it started in 2003 and is still going 4000+ pages later) started a romance between series original, average straight/cis guy Marten and more recent character Claire, who is trans. They gradually become friends, and when Claire eventually tells him that she’s trans (which is also when it’s revealed to the reader) he’s completely accepting of her. It’s not actually until after she tells him that he decides, y’know what, I really like this person and I want to be with her, and the fact that she’s trans is irrelevant to him.

QC is a super long run though, I think Claire first appears around strip #2000 or so, so be prepared for a slow build. Worth it though, IMO.

Not to say that we don’t need more depictions of both kinds of relationships and character building: we absolutely do. I just thought you’d like to know that there are some out there. :)

A good example that I remember of a disabled woman (or girl, given that the heroes in this series are kids) being considered attractive is Thorgil in The Sea Of Trolls, who loses the use of her hand in the sequel.

Also maybe Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road? She’s not sexualised or anything, and I don’t remember whether she became a love interest to Max, but a lot of fans certainly found her attractive.

A possible example of an attractive disabled woman could be Paulina in Charlotte Brontë’s “Villette”.

First, Paulina is really small. When she’s first introduced in the novel, she’s only six years old, but seems to be roughly toddler-sized. When she reappears in the plot, the MC Lucy sees “a poor child!” being trampled by panicking people who flee a fire. Turns out it’s Paulina, who’s now seventeen and as big as she’ll ever be.

Second, I thought as I read the novel that she’d probably be diagnosed with something neuropsychiatric if she had lived today. As a child, she clings VERY hard to a VERY small number of people, while indifferent to others. When she becomes super upset, her reaction is to lie face down on the floor, dead still and silent for hours on end. She also has a real savant memory. As an older teen, she’s more socially competent, but she still reacts very oddly and detached sometimes. Like literal minutes after being trampled by a panicking crowd, she calmly points to her arm and says her shoulder has been dislocated. Most people would be scared, crying etc. She’s not generally unemotional, though, since she pours affection over the few people she does feel attached to.

There’s more than one man who thinks she’s both funny and really beautiful, and she ends up marrying a man who the MC Lucy had a serious crush on (in the end, though, Lucy sincerely wishes them luck; she’s really fond of Paulina, who’s incredibly kind, even though she’s a bit odd). Paulina’s DAD, on the other hand, has SERIOUS difficulties realizing his girl is all grown up, and that men might be attracted to her. He says that surely no one can think her a beautiful woman; she’s just a funny little pixie. At one point he says he can’t believe she’s more than twelve years old, and an exaspirated Lucy goes “She’s not twelve, she’s grown up, even though she won’t get any taller!”

I really liked the Paulina character, she was so interesting.

Any advice on describing female love interests?

While they don’t have to be physically attractive, it often helps if they are and the (usually male) protagonist/narrator will be aware of that. On the other hand, it’s extremely easy to overdo. Especially if we are reminded of their sexy looks over and over again. Even disregarding sexist baggage, female readers shouldn’t suffer from the cringe I felt when reading Twilight’s repetitive and purple descriptions of Edward.

Still, having a male narrator get floored by an attractive female love interest without resorting to the male gaze isn’t easy.

Don’t make the attraction about the love interest’s looks. Make it her character or skills instead. Yes, she can be physically attractive, but if the male lead is in love with her because she’s so good with a sword or a great diplomat, the looks can be mentioned and then put aside, they won’t be pulled up over and over again. Assuming that the only reason to love someone is their looks is per se bad. Looks can get you interested, but if there’s nothing more to a person, there’s not going to be a long relationship in it.

I’m aware of this which is why I generally think that looks should only be described in the introduction scene.

I was just wondering if there are any traps to watch out for.

Honestly, I think that “having a male narrator get floored by an attractive female love interest” is the one time where the male gaze can actually be appropriate. If the woman is wearing sexy clothing and it’s a scenario where it seems natural to take in peoples’ appearances (a party, for example), then it doesn’t seem at all disrespectful to mention her beautiful figure and how great her clothes look on her. As long as you steer clear of sexist language, don’t focus on it for too long, and don’t mention it again outside of the first impression, then you’ll be fine.

They can notice her and notice she’s attractive and looks good in those clothes, but if their whole interest in her is based around how ‘hot’ she is, you’re not doing it right.

And, yes, stay away from sexist language, that’s always a good idea.

agreed with 99% of this. but one caveat here: “Not all women put much effort into their looks, so not all female characters should either. But if a woman isn’t paying attention to her appearance, that should show with details like frizzy hair, chapped lips, ruddy skin, or wrinkled clothes.” …that sounds somewhat extreme unless the character is either prone to frizzy hair, ruddy skin, etc. or REALLY not caring AT ALL. characters who spend ~5-10mins in front of the mirror won’t have the ELABORATE styles of those who spend a hour, but implying that any ‘style’ at all is “all or nothing” isn’t helpful either.

(particularly since jeans+t-shirt don’t show wrinkles even if they’ve been tossed on the floor overnight; many issues of frizzy hair are the result of uninformed choices in shampoo/condition or de-snarling methods not time invested per se; it takes maybe a few seconds to apply chapstick and chapped lips are uncomfortable to start with… etc.)

I just think it’s really important for us to get away from the idea of women looking perfect with no effort. If your protagonist only spends five minutes in front of the mirror but readers still see her skin looks good because she spends those five minutes putting on a bit of concealer, that’s all good, you’re still showing that putting in effort pays off.

And if she deliberately makes choices about her appearance so she doesn’t have to put in much effort, that’s good too, but that of course comes with compromises of its own. Women’s clothes generally have higher requirements for care because people expect women to put more effort in. So if she’s mostly limiting herself to t-shirts and jeans because she can throw them on the floor without consequence, that’s something in itself to note.

And I have to ask, if she’s not prone to frizzy hair, chapped lips, ruddy skin… then what natural imperfections does she have? It’s not that women who naturally look gorgeous don’t exist, but right now we have too many of them in our stories and that’s imposing unfair expectations on women.

…the only point I’m trying to make is that female characters shouldn’t always be harped on over their appearance, full stop. That was clearly the intent of the article, but that one section seemed a bit less clear on that point to me because of the emphasis on appearance-related detail, hence the comment.

in other words, the author doesn’t HAVE to make some huge deal out of the characters’ ‘imperfections’ just to avoid her being supernaturally gorgeous without effort. write that the character doesn’t put much emphasis on her appearance, and simply don’t have the narration/other characters fawning over how gorgeous she is for her supposed ‘natural beauty’ or whatever. she’s just average – legitimately average (like the majority of people) and it’s not worth commenting on beyond basic descriptions like “she had red/brown/blonde wavy/straight long/short hair worn loose/in a ponytail/a messy bun/a braid” etc. problem solved. No need to single out that her nose is ‘too big’ or she’s ‘too short’ or ‘not skinny enough’ or ‘looks too masculine’ or she has severely crooked teeth that some people react badly to, etc. – or even to state that she just isn’t seen as attractive WITHOUT having some obvious, specific ‘flaw’ or ‘imperfection’ (…perhaps a more common issue anyway?). Make ‘(un)attractiveness’ a non-issue, with no particular comment on it, because for such a character it IS a non-issue. that’s all.

(obviously, this doesn’t apply to a story where the intent is to explore the specific issue of appearance standards, but that’s by no means a necessary element for every plot. likewise if the character is attending a fancy-dress event.)

to be clear: if the character IS supposed to put a lot of effort into looking attractive to others, then yes: describing how that pays off in terms of people noting how attractive they are, is all fine and good. but if they don’t care, the narrative generally shouldn’t either and certainly shouldn’t penalize them for that by dwelling on each and every ‘imperfection’.

This should be the sequel article to another more important article that is just the words “DO NOT DESCRIBE THE BREASTS” because male authors… sure can be something…

Well that is pretty much what this article boils down to: https://mythcreants.com/blog/five-signs-your-narration-is-sexist/

lol I was thinking about The Magicians when I wrote this comment and its one of the books in the other article. Lev Grossman must be stopped.

Thought exercise, as a proof you don’t need to be a sexist.

“As she put on her favorite shirt, the fit was just too tight. Amber looked in the mirror. She was saddened that it would never again fit her as it once did. She was excited about getting some new clothes today, but knew this would be her last time wearing the only thing she had from the times her parents were healthy.”

I don’t need to describe anything beyond her thoughts, and why she’s sad about this shirt. The concept is that she’s “developing”, but I want the reader to focus on her mind.

In the very first draft of my first book, I did well already by the standards of this article with regards to the female MC and her female platonic friends and acquaintances. But BOY was the female love interest described in a horribly male-gazey way! Fortunately, I realized this myself and rewrote all of that before showing ANYONE ELSE the draft. That first draft is now deleted and gone forever, haha.

I remember a conversation I had many years back with other WLW, about “Inner Terrible Dudes”. Like, you’re with another woman, and suddenly you find yourself slipping into a really stupid male gender role with stupid macho behaviour, etc. (“Terrible” in a sense you could still laugh about in hindsight, I should add, so no one get the wrong picture… but, like, embarrassingly doing stuff just to prove how strong you are, stupid shit like that.) I definitely think only a minority of WLW suffer from Inner Terrible Dude, but alas, I’m one of them. Now I’ve been in a monogamous marriage with a man for ages, so it was a long time since Inner Terrible Dude raised his head in a dating scenario, but I think he came up again when I was writing a female love interest in my first ever novel…

I think it’s all good now, since a number of women have read later drafts or the final version and think the love interest is a good character… but I still cringe thinking about the first version!

Great article! Another thing I find ridiculous is just how many bad descriptions there are of women going “OMG, I’m so pretty/gorgeous/sexy” followed by describing how hot their bodies are, it’s basically a parody of Narcissus falling in love with his own mirror image, except it’s not portrayed as a sad curse but something totally normal for women to do.

Hi my name is Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way and I have long ebony black hair (that’s how I got my name) with purple streaks and red tips that reaches my mid-back and icy blue eyes like limpid tears and a lot of people tell me I look like Amy Lee (AN: if u don’t know who she is get da hell out of here!). I’m not related to Gerard Way but I wish I was because he’s a major fucking hottie. I’m a vampire but my teeth are straight and white. I have pale white skin. I’m also a witch, and I go to a magic school called Hogwarts in England where I’m in the seventh year (I’m seventeen). I’m a goth (in case you couldn’t tell) and I wear mostly black. I love Hot Topic and I buy all my clothes from there. For example today I was wearing a black corset with matching lace around it and a black leather miniskirt, pink fishnets and black combat boots. I was wearing black lipstick, white foundation, black eyeliner and red eye shadow. I was walking outside Hogwarts. It was snowing and raining so there was no sun, which I was very happy about. A lot of preps stared at me. I put up my middle finger at them.

That description isn’t so much of a problem for describing a woman … it would be just as bad, if it described a man. Yet, yeah, avoid that at all costs.

I read “My Immortal” and now I’m 99 % certain that it’s intentionally bad and written to be funny. :-)

I became convinced that My Immortal had to be an intentional parody when the author called Sirius Black Harry’s Dogfather!

You’ve brought to mind two other types of description that annoy me.

The first isn’t strictly gendered, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if it’s used more for female characters: the ‘evaluating herself in the mirror’ introductory description. Nobody looks at their own reflection like they’re seeing themselves for the first time and grading each feature based on its attractiveness. (It does, however, make more sense if the character really is seeing their own appearance for the first time).

The second type of description that annoys me is when a character’s conventionally attractive traits are described as if they aren’t. ‘My eyes are too large and my lips are too full to be considered pretty. A light dusting of freckles across my nose ruins my otherwise perfect complexion. I wish my hair was blonde but, alas, it’s only a rich chestnut red.’

A question about always being in control of what they wear – a character of mine marries into a wealthy family to control their army and has to blend in. She never really cared about appearance, only fabric from being a weaver, and I was using it like a homesick thing. No one forces her or anything, she’s kind of chill about it and has way bigger concerns. Is it OK so long as it is never sexy? Is there a way to make sure it’s OK?

Personally I think there’s a huge difference between a scene where a woman has to dress in a disguise (not a sexy disguise, just a regular uniform or the same clothes as the locals) in order to blend in, and a female character being forced against her will (or just randomly lose all her previous modesty) to strip down or dress up in a fetish costume.

To use a bad and a good example, in X-men: first class there’s an awful scene where a female CIA agent completely out of the blue takes off her dress (and just so happens to wear perfectly matching black silk lingerie) in order to follow the villains into a strip club, and the scene has no purpose outside of creepy voyeurism, whereas in the movie Inferno, based on a Dan Brown novel, a female assassin wears a police uniform in order to trick her target into thinking she’s there to protect them, and make local law enforcement think she’s one of them, which I think is a good example of a female character who couldn’t choose how her clothes would look, it’s a uniform, but it’s not portrayed as degrading or any different than the same situation with a male assassin would be.

Yeah, that is just fine.

As far as “wish-fulfillment clothing” goes, for me personally, a gorgeous evening gown is about the same level of wish-fulfillment as a badass cloak or fancy cape. …something to keep in mind for writers who want to attract a few more readers, maybe? Also, we should bring cloaks and capes back into fashion.

I always second any wish for cloaks and capes to make it back into fashion.

Yes, wish-fulfilment clothing for women can very well include a gorgeous ball gown (cape optional, but always a nice touch) or a bikini or a tight dress. The point is that the woman should wear those clothes because she wants to (and in a fitting setting), not because someone said ‘put that on.’

I also think it’s important not just to make sure it fits the character and the situation, but also looking at stuff like fashion magazines, doll crafting and what female illustrators draw their characters wearing, because from my experience, while revealing, most such things designed by and for women tend to be more intricate and elaborate to reflect one’s style compared to most boring and unoriginal or downright tacky stuff male comic artists and video game designers draw women wearing.

Just compare Bayonetta (designed by a female fashion designer) to Quiet (designed by a man who just wanted to make her sexy) and you’ll see the difference.

Good point. There’s a lot of female designs online by now on oodles of sites (I personally love to watch doll crafting) to get inspired by.

Bayonetta is definitely designed much less male-gazey than Quiet and I like the idea behind her clothing (the design still has some weird parts, but we’re talking about a Japanese action game, so weird design parts are essential – and they’re handled better with Bayonetta). Not to mention that Bayonetta is only mostly naked when calling on her powers, while Quiet is mostly naked the whole time because she ‘breathes through her skin.’ Sigh.

Indeed, and I also think a huge difference between them is that Bayonetta’s design tells something about her character, her color scheme, jewelry and hairstyle are all themed around the classic witchy imagery with black, cats and moons but with a modern twist, whereas Quiet’s outfit is just a bikini and ripped panty hose, and I saw no one actually being able to tell why she she was wearing it before the game came out and explained it.

And Bayonetta does sexy poses because she’s a bold and sassy person who likes to provoke people and lives in an exaggerated magical world, while Quiet is supposed to be a tragic character and her story even involves dark real-life traumas like torture and POW sexual assault, and she’s literally called Quiet because she can’t speak and has to rely on hand gestures and body language, yet 90% of said body language are just random sexy poses, just to show what a can of worms the character is.

I try to don’t keep apart males from females in my writings, so i spend the same amount of detail to describe the main female character’s elegant dress as the MC’s parade uniform. Also, women in my book wear from business attire to dresses to body armour just as every other character. There is one specific character that wears a somewhat skimpy dress under a cape and uses it to entice and manipulate her targets (be it males or females), she is a complex character and i’ll probably save her for another story, limiting her to show up once or twice as a mysterious puppeteer figure.

By the sound of it, you’re doing a pretty good job with your writing.

A lot of authors seem to struggle with treating all characters alike, no matter the gender. If you pay attention to the details of the clothes of all of your characters, it’s fine to describe them. It’s also always great if characters have an actual wardrobe somewhere and wear different clothes throughout the story (unless they’re unable to change them for some reason).

I have no problem with a complex character who works with seduction. Seduction can be a valid option and is sometimes used by male characters as well (cough Bond cough). What I resent is the ‘femme fatale’ type who is only defined by her seductive sexiness and often doesn’t even act because of her own agency, only following another (often male) character’s orders.

I just switch the gender in the description and check if it’s too verbose or seems unfit for either sex. I’m getting good results so far.

The problem i have with her is that i can’t cut the main plot line to tell her story, as is so tangential to the plot that i will need to tell it on another book. she just point the MC in the right direction and set the pieces up for future events. As a mysterious figure i think it will awake the reader’s interest to know more about her, but if it’s not the case, what is known is enough.

Have you ever had a minor character that you like so much you want to tell everyone everything about her, but being nor the time nor the place to do it?

You can certainly use the story to continue with the universe you have created later. Then it makes sense to put a character in as a side character and make them the main character in the other story. Let her be a mystery in this one, but suggest there’s more to her, then it should work out.

Hello! Thank you for the article. However, I have a few questions: 1. What do you think about female characters whose appearance isn’t described at all? What is the “default” in this case, and what should I be careful about? 2. What advice could you give about shapeshifters? How to avoid misogyny in describing a shapeshifter? 3. What do you think as “always beautiful” races (elves, faeries, angels, goddesses)? What pitfalls are there for characters, who, for example, don’t age after certain age? 4. If a characters belongs to a completely sexless and genderless race, is it possible for their description to be objectifying and/or sexist?

Thanks for this article. This is a useful article for writers of non-fiction as well as fiction. While those of us writing essays probably have less reason to describe the physical appearance of people, there are other ways that a similar set of gender assumptions make their way into the text. For example, historical analyses that identify people as “so-and-so and his wife” are still common. Political discussions in which men are acting but women are supporting men are also dismally familiar.

You don’t “Google” something, it is not a verb despite what some webpages claim.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, ‘google’ can be used as a verb.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/google

Would it feel sexist to depict a female bartender/salesperson/etc. who dresses up her appearance and lets a little flirtyness come into her demeanor because it gives her an edge in her job? (Also, does it help to show that the same thing can work for a male character in the same position?)

I’m torn on whether that normalizes the “sexy=manipulative” idea or if that’s more equal to a woman taking charge of her appearance and sexuality in an empowering way.

Yes, unfortunately it would. It reinforces tropes about women being seductresses, manipulating others with sex appeal, or sleeping their way to top.

Having a male character that does the same thing may help marginally, but not enough considering the toxicity of this stereotype.

A women taking charge of her appearance and sexuality in an empowering way might include her asking men out because she wants to sleep with them, not because she wants something else from them.

Though I should mention that women are generally expected to dress attractively as part of customer facing positions, so her dressing attractive in itself would usually not be flirty so much as it would be meeting expectations imposed on her by others. By acting flirty is another matter.

Ah, okay! Good to keep in mind. Thank you for the response and the clarification.

Thank you for this article! I like how you broke this down.

Editor’s note: I’ve removed a comment for defending sexism under the iron clad logic of having female friends

Editor’s note: I have removed a comment for doing exactly what we said not to do in this post: pressuring women about what they wear.

News, Notes, Talk

Dear male writers: here’s how not to write about breasts.

Today, on the garbage website that controls our lives, some actually very good writing advice from author and editor Katherine May, which I present below without further comment:

A note from a very weary editor, to all male writers: Women’s breasts are not communication devices. They are not sending you, or your male protagonists, encoded messages. They are, in fact, insentient. They neither dance nor issue invitations. — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

In the vast majority of scenarios, they don’t merit a mention at all. You know how it’s rude to stare at boobs in real life? It’s a similar breach of etiquette to mention them repeatedly in your prose, while their owner is just going about her daily business. — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

(While we’re on the subject, few women will come to a spiralling climax from anyone grabbing them. Just so you know.) — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

In addition, they are rarely arranged for your personal approval. I know, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Most of the time they’re just sitting there, just as your own moobs are just sitting there, quite innocently, not carrying any meaning whatsoever. — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

And here’s a very simple rule of thumb: if you’re describing a woman in a professional context, do not – I repeat, do NOT – mention her breasts. It is not just irrelevant; it’s downright icky. If it would count as sexual harassment in real life, don’t put it in writing. — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

Now, it may well be pertinent to talk about boobs when your characters are having sex. Bon. However… Breasts have no musculature, and so cannot move independently. They do not surge upwards in excitement unless their owner is bouncing on the bed. (In which case, good for her.) — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

They are not woodland creatures. They do not tremble, vibrate, rise to your touch, or indeed sit up on their hind legs and sniff the air in anticipation. — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

They do not – please god – nestle. — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

We know you love boobs. I mean, who doesn’t? They’re adorable things. But if you are trying to write a serious novel please try to hold back from mentioning them all the frickin’ time. It’s downright creepy. If ever the phrase ‘kill your darlings’ were relevant… — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019

I also highly recommend this thread’s mentions. Reader and writers alike: you’re welcome.

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May 23, 2024.

What The Crucible can teach us about the differences between informing and truth-telling
Reece Sisto on the beauty of queer literature with bite
One Hundred Years of Solitude ’s long path from page to screen

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The Gigantic List of Character Descriptions (70+ examples)

The vast majority of character descriptions are simply lazy.

They recycle typical ideas about hair, eye color, and build, giving you more information about the character’s fitting for a dress or suit than the type of information you need to know them intimately.

The first thing you should do when describing a character is to pick a category that isn’t so overused. Such as trying to describe:

Describing your character in an innovative way will help retain the reader’s interest. You want your reader to be asking questions about this character, to not only learn something about them but to create mystery. What made them like this? How long have they been this way? Is there someone currently after them or is this paranoia because of a past experience? Questions like these are what keeps the reader reading.

Not only physical descriptions are needed. Consider: “How is this person viewed by another character?” Do they seem dangerous, alluring, secretive, suspicious? The way another character views someone else gives insight about them as well. Are they attracted? Repulsed? Curious?

Another thing to take notice of is the type of person they are, despite their appearance.

How do they think?
What do they feel?
How do they view/react to certain situations compared to how others would?
What is their mental state?

Here is a list of examples of brilliant character descriptions to give you an idea and help you come up with your own:

3 Categories: Modern Literary, Literature, Popular

Modern Literary

1. vladimir nabokov, lolita.

” … Her skin glistening in the neon light coming from the paved court through the slits in the blind, her soot-black lashes matted, her grave gray eyes more vacant than ever.”

2. Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping

” … in the last years she continued to settle and began to shrink. Her mouth bowed forward and her brow sloped back, and her skull shone pink and speckled within a mere haze of hair, which hovered about her head like the remembered shape of an altered thing. She looked as if the nimbus of humanity were fading away and she were turning monkey. Tendrils grew from her eyebrows and coarse white hairs sprouted on her lip and chin. When she put on an old dress the bosom hung empty and the hem swept the floor. Old hats fell down over her eyes. Sometimes she put her hand over her mouth and laughed, her eyes closed and her shoulder shaking.”

3. Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot

“Phyllida’s hair was where her power resided. It was expensively set into a smooth dome, like a band shell for the presentation of that long-running act, her face.”

4. China Miéville, This Census-Taker

“His hand was over his eyes. He looked like a failed soldier. Dirt seemed so worked into him that the lines of his face were like writing.”

5. Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita

“And then the hot air congealed in front of him, and out of it materialized a transparent man of most bizarre appearance. A small head with a jockey cap, a skimpy little checked jacket that was made out of air … The man was seven feet tall, but very narrow in the shoulders, incredibly thin, and his face, please note, had a jeering look about it.”

6. Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible

“Mama BekwaTataba stood watching us—a little jet-black woman. Her elbows stuck out like wings, and a huge white enameled tub occupied the space above her head, somewhat miraculously holding steady while her head moved in quick jerks to the right and left.”

7. John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces

“A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head. The green earflaps, full of large ears and uncut hair and the fine bristles that grew in the ears themselves, stuck out on either side like turn signals indicating two directions at once. Full, pursed lips protruded beneath the bushy black moustache and, at their corners, sank into little folds filled with disapproval and potato chip crumbs. In the shadow under the green visor of the cap Ignatius J. Reilly’s supercilious blue and yellow eyes looked down upon the other people waiting under the clock at the D.H. Holmes department store, studying the crowd of people for signs of bad taste in dress. Several of the outfits, Ignatius noticed, were new enough and expensive enough to be properly considered offenses against taste and decency. Possession of anything new or expensive only reflected a person’s lack of theology and geometry; it could even cast doubts upon one’s soul.”

8. A.S. Byatt, Possession

“He was a compact, clearcut man, with precise features, a lot of very soft black hair, and thoughtful dark brown eyes. He had a look of wariness, which could change when he felt relaxed or happy, which was not often in these difficult days, into a smile of amused friendliness and pleasure which aroused feelings of warmth, and something more, in many women.”

9. Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated

“He did not look like anything special at all.”

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10. Henry Lawson, The Bush Girl

“ Grey eyes that grow sadder than sunset or rain, f ond heart that is ever more true F irm faith that grows firmer for watching in vain — She’ll wait by the sliprails for you.”

11. Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

“I am an invisible man.  No I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe:  Nor am I one of your Hollywood movie ectoplasms.  I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids - - and I might even be said to possess a mind.  I am invisible, simply because people refuse to see me.”

12. F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

“He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.”

13. Thomas Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel

“My brother Ben’s face, thought Eugene, is like a piece of slightly yellow ivory; his high white head is knotted fiercely by his old man’s scowl; his mouth is like a knife, his smile the flicker of light across a blade. His face is like a blade, and a knife, and a flicker of light: it is delicate and fierce, and scowls beautifully forever, and when he fastens his hard white fingers and his scowling eyes upon a thing he wants to fix, he sniffs with sharp and private concentration through his long, pointed nose…his hair shines like that of a young boy—it is crinkled and crisp as lettuce.”

14. Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Books

“A black shadow dropped down into the circle. It was Bagheera the Black Panther, inky black all over, but with the panther markings showing up in certain lights like the pattern of watered silk. Everybody knew Bagheera, and nobody cared to cross his path, for he was as cunning as Tabaqui, as bold as the wild buffalo, and as reckless as the wounded elephant. But he had a voice as soft as wild honey dripping from a tree, and a skin softer than down.”

15. Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

“[Miss Havisham] had shut out infinitely more; that, in seclusion, she had secluded herself from a thousand natural and healing influences; that, her mind, brooding solitary, had grown diseased, as all minds do and must and will that reverse the appointed order of their Maker…”

16. John Knowles, A Separate Peace

“For such and extraordinary athlete—even as a Lower Middler Phineas had been the best athlete in the school—he was not spectacularly built. He was my height—five feet eight and a half inches…He weighed a hundred and fifty pounds, a galling ten pounds more than I did, which flowed from his legs to torso around shoulders to arms and full strong neck in an uninterrupted, unemphatic unity of strength.”

17. Ambrose Bierce, Chickamauga

“-the dead body of a woman—the white face turned upward, the hands thrown out and clutched full of grass, the clothing deranged, the long dark hair in tangles and full of clotted blood. The greater part of the forehead was torn away, and from the jagged hole the brain protruded, overflowing the temple, a frothy mass of gray, crowned with clusters of crimson bubbles—the work of a shell.”

18. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

“…your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.”

19. Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

“He was most fifty, and he looked it. His hair was long and tangled and greasy, and hung down, and you could see his eyes shining through like he was behind vines. It was all black, no gray; so was his long, mixed-up whiskers. There warn’t no color in his face, where his face showed; it was white; not like another man’s white, but a white to make a body sick, a white to make a body’s flesh crawl – a tree-toad white, a fish-belly white. As for his clothes – just rags, that was all. He had one ankle resting on t’other knee; the boot on that foot was busted, and two of his toes stuck through, and he worked them now and then. His hat was laying on the floor – an old black slouch with the top caved in, like a lid.”

20. William Golding, Lord of the Flies

“Inside the floating cloak he was tall, thin, and bony; and his hair was red beneath the black cap. His face was crumpled and freckled, and ugly without silliness.”

21. Jane Austen, Persuasion

“Vanity was the beginning and end of Sir Walter Elliot’s character: vanity of person and of situation. He had been remarkably handsome in his youth, and at fifty-four was still a very fine man. . . .”

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22. Andrew Lang, The Crimson Fairy Book

“When the old king saw this he foamed with rage, stared wildly about, flung himself on the ground and died.”

23. Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

“He was commonplace in complexion, in feature, in manners, and in voice. He was of middle size and of ordinary build. His eyes, of the usual blue, were perhaps remarkably cold, and he certainly could make his glance fall on one as trenchant and heavy as an axe… Otherwise there was only an indefinable, faint expression of his lips, something stealthy — a smile — not a smile — I remember it, but I can’t explain.”

24. Anne Bronte, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

“His heart was like a sensitive plant, that opens for a moment in the sunshine, but curls up and shrinks into itself at the slightest touch of the finger, or the lightest breath of wind.”

25. Max Beerbohm, Zuleika Dobson

“He followed with his eyes her long slender figure as she threaded her way in and out of the crowd, sinuously, confidingly, producing a penny from one lad’s elbow, a threepenny-bit from between another’s neck and collar, half a crown from another’s hair, and always repeating in that flute-like voice of hers: “Well, this is rather queer!””

26. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

“He had a long chin and big rather prominent teeth, just covered, when he was not talking, by his full, floridly curved lips. Old, young? Thirty? Fifty? Fifty-five? It was hard to say.”

27. Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

“Her skin was a rich black that would have peeled like a plum if snagged, but then no one would have thought of getting close enough to Mrs. Flowers to ruffle her dress, let alone snag her skin. She didn’t encourage familiarity. She wore gloves too. I don’t think I ever saw Mrs. Flowers laugh, but she smiled often. A slow widening of her thin black lips to show even, small white teeth, then the slow effortless closing. When she chose to smile on me, I always wanted to thank her.”

28. D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley’s Lover

“But her will had left her. A strange weight was on her limbs. She was giving way. She was giving up…”

29. Henry James, The Aspern Papers

“Her face was not young, but it was simple; it was not fresh, but it was mild. She had large eyes which were not bright, and a great deal of hair which was not ‘dressed,’ and long fine hands which were–possibly–not clean.”

30. Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Zanoni Book One: The Musician

“She is the spoiled sultana of the boards. To spoil her acting may be easy enough,—shall they spoil her nature? No, I think not. There, at home, she is still good and simple; and there, under the awning by the doorway,—there she still sits, divinely musing. How often, crook-trunked tree, she looks to thy green boughs; how often, like thee, in her dreams, and fancies, does she struggle for the light,—not the light of the stage-lamps.”

31. Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary

“Living among those white-faced women with their rosaries and copper crosses…”

32. Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

“Though every vestige of her dress was burnt, as they told me, she still had something of her old ghastly bridal appearance; for, they had covered her to the throat with white cotton-wool, and as she lay with a white sheet loosely overlying that, the phantom air of something that had been and was changed, was still upon her.”

33. Rudyard Kipling, Many Inventions

“He wrapped himself in quotations – as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of Emperors.”

34. Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

“He was sunshine most always-I mean he made it seem like good weather.”

35. Hugh Lofting, The Story of Doctor Dolittle

“For a long time he said nothing. He kept as still as a stone. He hardly seemed to be breathing at all. When at last he began to speak, it sounded almost as though he were singing, sadly, in a dream.”

36. Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

“I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.”

37. Edwin A. Abbott, Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

“He is himself his own World, his own Universe; of any other than himself he can form no conception; he knows not Length, nor Breadth, nor Height, for he has had no experience of them; he has no cognizance even of the number Two; nor has he a thought of Plurality, for he is himself his One and All, being really Nothing.”

38. Jamie McGuire, Beautiful Oblivion

“Her long platinum blond hair fell in loose waves past her shoulders, with a few black peekaboo strands. She wore a black minidress and combat boots.”

39. N.K. Jemisin, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

“His long, long hair wafted around him like black smoke, its tendrils curling and moving of their own volition. His cloak — or perhaps that was his hair too — shifted as if in an unfelt wind.”

40. M.L. LeGette, The Orphan and the Thief

“A creature–a frightfully, awful creature–was mere feet from her. Its eyes were enormous, the size of goose eggs and milky white. Its gray, slippery skin was stretched taut upon its face. Its mouth was wide and full of needle teeth. Its hands rested on the rock, hands that were webbed and huge with each finger ending in a sharp, curved nail. It was as tall as a human man, yet oddly shrunken and hunched.”

41. Amber Dawn, Sub Rosa

“When he did appear his eyes were as brown as I remembered, pupils flecked with gold like beach pebbles.”

42. Julia Stuart, The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise

“His hair had been grown to counteract its unequivocal retreat from the top of his head, and was fashioned into a mean, frail ponytail that hung limply down his back. Blooms of acne highlighted his vampire-white skin.”

43. James Lee Burke, The Neon Rain

“His khaki sleeves were rolled over his sunburned arms, and he had the flat green eyes and heavy facial features of north Louisiana hill people. He smelled faintly of dried sweat, Red Man, and talcum powder.”

44. Stephenie Meyer, Twilight

“I vividly remembered the flat black color of his eyes the last time he glared at me – the color was striking against the background of his pale skin and his auburn hair. Today, his eyes were a completely different color: a strange ocher, darker than butterscotch, but with the same golden tone.”

45. Brian Malloy, Twelve Long Months

“Whith her hair dyed bright red, she looks like Ronald McDonald’s post-menopausal sister. Who has let herself go.” (This is one of my favorites, because I find it ridiculously funny)

46. Joan Johnston, No Longer A Stranger

“Actually, Reb had the same flawless complexion as her sister– except for the freckles. Her straight, boyishly cut hair fell onto her brow haphazardly and hid beautiful arched brows that framed her large, expressive eyes. She had a delicate, aquiline nose, but a stubborn mouth and chin.”

47. Brian Morton, Breakable You

“Without her glasses Vivian did look a little frightening. She had tight sinewy strappy muscles and a face that was hardened and almost brutal – a face that might have been chiseled by a sculptor who had fallen out of love with the idea of beauty.”

48. Anne Rice, The Vampire Armand

“I saw my Master had adorned himself in a thick tunic and beautiful dark blue doublet which I’d hardly noticed before. He wore soft sleek dark blue gloves over his hands, gloves which perfectly cleaved to his fingers, and legs were covered by thick soft cashmere stockings all the way to his beautiful pointed shoes.”

49. Becca Fitzpatrick, Black Ice

“His brown hair was cropped, and it showed off the striking s ymmetry of his face. With the sun at his back, shadows marked the depressions beneath his cheekbones. I couldn’t tell the color of his eyes, but I hoped they were brown…The guy had straight, sculptured shoulders that made me think swimmer …”

50. E.C. Sheedy, Killing Bliss

“He stood, which put him eye to eye with the dark-haired woman whose brilliant, burning gaze poured into his worthless soul like boiling tar, whose mouth frothed with fury–and whose hand now curled, knuckles white, around a steak knife.” (The author gives a lot of details about the characters emotions, but there is not one specific detail about neither of their appearances. Use this as an example of how physical appearances aren’t always the most important thing.)

51. James Lee Burke, The Neon Rain

“His wiry gray and black hair was dripping with sweat, and his face was the color and texture of old paper. He looked up at me from where he was seated on his bunk, and his eyes were hot and bright and moisture was beaded across his upper lip. He held a Camel cigarette between his yellowed fingers, and the floor around his feet was covered with cigarette butts.”

52. Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

“She has bright, dark eyes and satiny brown skin and stands tilted up on her toes with arms slightly extended to her sides, as if ready to take wing at the slightest sound.”

53. Becca Fitzpatrick, Hush, Hush

“He was abominable…and the most alluring, tortured soul I’d ever met.” (This isn’t describing him physically, but it is giving insight to how the main character views him)

54. J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.”

55. Anne Rice, Violin

“I deliberately thought of him, my violinist, point by point, that with his long narrow nose and such deep-set eyes he might have been less seductive to someone else–perhaps. But then perhaps to no one. What a well-formed mouth he had, and how the narrow eyes, the detailed deepened lids gave him such a range of expression, to open his gaze wide, or sink in cunning street.”

56. Kevin Brooks, Lucas

“As I’ve already said, the memory of Lucas’s walk brings a smile to my face. It’s an incredibly vivid memory, and if I close my eyes I can see it now. An easygoing lope. Nice and steady. Not too fast and not too slow, Fast enough to get somewhere, but not too fast to miss anything. Bouncy, alert, resolute, without any concern and without vanity. A walk that both belonged to and was remote from everything around it.”

57. Anne Rice, Violin

“And she looked the way he had always hated her–dreamy and sloppy, and sweet, with glasses falling down, smoking a cigarette, with ashes on her coat, but full of love, her body heavy and shapeless with age.”

58. Kevin Brooks, Lucas

“As we drew closer, the figure became clearer, It was a young man, or a boy, dressed loosely in a drab green T-shirt and baggy green trousers. He had a green army jacket tied around his waist and a green canvas bag slung over his shoulder. The only non-green thing about him was the pair of scruffy black walking boots on his feet. Although he was on the small side, he wasn’t as slight as I first thought. He wasn’t exactly muscular, but he wasn’t weedy-looking either…there was an air of hidden strength about him, a graceful strength that showed in his balance, the way he held himself, the way he walked….”

59. Iris Johansen, The Face of Deception

“Kinky tousled curls, only a minimum of makeup, large brown eyes behind round wire-rimmed glasses. There was a world of character in that face, more than enough to make her fascinating-looking instead of just attractive.”

60. Dennis Lehane, A Drink Before the War

“Brian Paulson was rake thin, with smooth hair the color of tin and a wet fleshy handshake…. His greeting was a nod and a blink, befitting someone who’d stepped out of the shadows only momentarily.”

61. Gena Showalter, The Darkest Night

“Pale hair fell in waves to his shoulders, framing a face mortal females considered a sensual feast. They didn’t know the man was actually a devil in angel’s skin. They should have, though. He practically glowed with irreverence, and there was an unholy gleam in his green eyes that proclaimed he would laugh in your face while cutting out your heat. Or laugh in your face while you cut out his heart.”

62. Sam Byers, Idiopathy

“Now here he was: sartorially, facially and interpersonally sharpened; every inch the beatific boffin.”

63. Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys

“As always, there was an all-American war hero look to him, coded in his tousled brown hair, his summer-narrowed hazel eyes, the straight nose that ancient Anglo-Saxons had graciously passed on to him. Everything about him suggested valor and power and a firm handshake.”

64. J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

“The face of Elrond was ageless, neither old nor young, though in it was written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful. His hair was dark as the shadows of twilight, and upon it was set a circlet of silver; his eyes were grey as a clear evening, and in them was a light like the light of stars.”

65. Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove

“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”

66. Frank Herbert, Dune

“…a girl-child who appeared to be about four years old. She wore a black aba, the hood thrown back to reveal the attachments of a stillsuit hanging free at her throat. Her eyes were Fremen blue, staring out of a soft, round face. She appeared completely unafraid and there was a look to her stare that made the Baron feel uneasy for no reason he could explain.”

67. Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game

“Ender did not see Peter as the beautiful ten-year-old boy that grown-ups saw, with dark, tousled hair and a face that could have belonged to Alexander the Great. Ender looked at Peter only to detect anger or boredom, the dangerous moods that almost always led to pain.”

68. Caitlin Moran, How to Build a Girl

“He had his head in his hands, and his tie looked like it had been put on by an enemy, and was strangling him.”

69. Graham Joyce, Some Kind of Fairy Tale

“Peter was a gentle, red-haired bear of a man. Standing at six-four in his socks, he moved everywhere with a slight and nautical sway, but even though he was broad across the chest there was something centered and reassuring about him, like an old ship’s mast cut from a single timber.”

70. Brad Parks, The Girl Next Door

“…in addition to being fun, smart, and quick-witted—in a feisty way that always kept me honest—she’s quite easy to look at, with never-ending legs, toned arms, curly brown hair, and eyes that tease and smile and glint all at the same time.”

71. Dennis Lehane, A Drink Before the War

“Sterling Mulkern was a florid, beefy man, the kind who carried weight like a weapon, not a liability. He had a shock of stiff white hair you could land a DC-10 on and a handshake that stopped just short of inducing paralysis.”

72. Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass

“Lord Asriel was a tall man with powerful shoulders, a fierce dark face, and eyes that seemed to flash and glitter with savage laughter. It was a face to be dominated by, or to fight: never a face to patronize or pity. All his movements were large and perfectly balanced, like those of a wild animal, and when he appeared in a room like this, he seemed a wild animal held in a cage too small for it.”

73. Sherman Alexie, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

“I thought she was so beautiful. I figured she was the kind of woman who could make buffalo walk on up to her and give up their lives. She wouldn’t have needed to hunt. Every time we went walking, birds would follow us around. Hell, tumbleweeds would follow us around.”

29 comments

woowwwwwwwwie

Love the compilation. Thank you for doing this

This is a great compilation! My students are working on writing characters right now, so I’m having them look through your list to see examples of a job well done 🙂 Thanks!

Thanks I’m using these for students to make character drawings from

This is really helpful ! Love it !

Do you have a way, where you could put the characters physical traits in this website?

Thank you for the awesome list. You should add this one; it’s from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: “Mr. Utterson, the lawyer, was a man of rugged countenance, that was never lightened by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow lovable.” There’s more after, but I thought this was a good description.

And this one: “Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky, whispering, and somewhat broken voice: all these were points against him, but all of them together could not describe the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing, and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him.”

The quote that stood out to me the most was the quote from ‘The Census Taker’. That quote captured the characters feelings so well. The author was able to compare in self worth by saying it was as dirt, so much so that the dirt was written in his skin. I have never seen self worth and failure described as part of a person’s face.

Thank you. I echo Chris’s comment Wowwwwww and add a few!!!!

Wonderful! Reading these enabled me to rewrite the descriptions for my two leading characters.

Thank you for this, very helpful! I don’t know if this is really related, but I’m writing a story including a mean girl who bullies the main character (also a girl). I’m struggling to write what the mean girl uses to bully the main character – what I end up coming up with is way too mean or unreal, etc.

Blinded by tears, she could hear the haze of pink shout, “See, poor baby cries. Great actress, dear. Why do you waste your talent on us, here?”

great great any book for description of physical appearance in narrative

Great list. And I have one to add. It’s from Michael Moorcock, riding the new wave of British sci-fi back in the 1960s. He’s been a favorite of mine for decades. The passage is from “Elric of Melniboné:”

“It is the colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the colour of bone, resting on each arm of a seat which has been carved from a single, massive ruby.”

Thanks for this – very useful compilation for teaching – makes life so much easier! And helps in my writing, to look at expressions and word arrangements… I notice how some writers seem so good in visual description, and some others seem to be much better at character expressions..

wowzers!!! this is so cool!

I planned to just read a few, but I couldn’t stop reading. These are awesome! Thank you.

“Character Description” on The John Fox’s blog is a treasure trove of valuable tips and techniques for crafting compelling characters. The blog explores the art of painting vivid and multi-dimensional personas, adding depth to storytelling. Aspiring writers will find this guide indispensable for creating memorable characters that resonate with readers.

holy MOLY, thank you!

I liked them

wow thanks you have really helped me but can you put something to describe a character that is a tyrant please? that would really help

Absolutely remarkable. So very helpful in every since of the word.

OH HELLL YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

A killer set of fine examples! Thanks for compiling it!

Please, add sentences that can apply to more characters.

Love it but should be more single sentences

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Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open
v.9(6); 2021 Jun

Anatomical Poems about the Breast (“ Le Beau Tetin” ) and Anatomical Proportions

From the Department of Plastic Surgery, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea.

The pursuit of the beautiful breast has existed for centuries. As a marker of femininity, a sexual symbol, and a sustainer of new life, the female breast has occupied an iconic position in Western art—including both literary and visual representations. 1

In an anonymous medieval (12th or 13th century) French fictional story, “ Aucassin et Nicolette ,” there is a description of beautiful breasts. This “sung story” recounts the tale of Aucassin, son of a count, who loved Nicolette, a Saracen maiden who had been sold to a viscount. The relevant verses are as follows: “Her breasts so firm that they bore up the folds of her bodice as they had been two apples,” and “Woman may not love man as man loves woman, for a woman’s love lies in the glance of her eye, and the bud of her breast, and her foot’s tip-toe…” 2

Between the medieval and Renaissance periods in France, poetic and artistic portrayals of the female breast express not only esthetic values and cultural anxieties concerning sexuality, but also political power, social class, and even religious ideology. In 1535, Clemente Marot (1496–1544) wrote two contrasting poems about the female breast, “Of the Fair Breast ( Blason du Beau Tetin )” and “Of the Ugly Breast ( Contreblason du Tetin )” (Table (Table1 1 ). 3 In the first poem, he praised the beauties of the female breast; however, in the contrasting poem, he derided the appearance of a deformed breast.

Two Contrasting Poems for Female Breast, Written by Clemente Marot (Blason du Tetin)

It is now common for women to seek out reconstructive or cosmetic procedures to achieve their ideal breast. Despite the difficulty of perceiving beauty through defined margins, studies have sought to establish parameters that define the ideal breast, such as specific proportions, while others suggest that attitudes fluctuate based on culture and life experiences. 4 Some studies have investigated physical markers of esthetically pleasing breasts, and researchers have devised potential parameters to define the ideal breast, such as specific proportions or shape.

In a study measuring the breast imagery depicted in western painting, the distance from the nipple to the sternal notch and to the midclavicular point was the same, at 0.46 of the distance from the sternal notch to the umbilicus. The shape of the projection of the breast was almost an isosceles triangle, and the altitude of the triangle was at a proportion of 0.45 of the bottom length and 0.16 of the distance from the sternal notch to the umbilicus. The distance between the lateral ends of the breasts was 2.14 times the facial width, and the distance between nipples was 1.36 times the facial width (Fig. (Fig.1 1 ). 5

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is gox-9-e3652-g001.jpg

Breast width and distance between the medial ends of the inframammary fold ratio and oblique proportional distances. Y, distance from the sternal notch to the umbilicus (sn-um); mi–mi, distance between the medial end of the inframammary fold; mc–n, distance from the midclavicle to the nipple; sn–n, distance from the sternal notch to the nipple; xi–n, distance from the xiphoid to the nipple. Reproduced with permission from Arch Plast Surg . 2015;42(2):226–231, available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

Mallucci suggested “critical ideals” of breast beauty: (1) an upper pole to lower pole ratio of 45% to 55% (ie, a slightly fuller lower pole than the upper pole), referred to as the “45:55 breast,” (2) a skyward-pointing nipple (20 degree mean angle), (3) a straight/mildly concave upper pole slope, and (4) tight lower pole convexity (Fig. (Fig.2 2 ). 6

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is gox-9-e3652-g002.jpg

“Critical ideals” of breast beauty suggested by Mallucci: (1) an upper pole to lower pole ratio of 45% to 55% (ie, a slightly fuller lower pole than the upper pole), referred to as the “45:55 breast,” (2) a skyward-pointing nipple (20 degree mean angle) (3) a straight/mildly concave upper pole slope, and (4) tight lower pole convexity (Artist’s re-drawing).

The centuries-long pursuit of the beautiful breast is now being realized by plastic surgeons. We hope that both a “poetic mind” and “anatomical proportions” will help surgeons achieve satisfactory results—the “fair breast.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The author is grateful to Hye Won Hu, MA, Department of Oral Biology, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, for her illustration (Fig. (Fig.2 2 ).

The author has no financial interests to declare in relation to the content of this article. This study was supported by a grant from National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2020R1I1A2054761).

Published online 24 June 2021.

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19,890 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,964 themes

lust - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

dystopia lust
sexually transmitted disease

There is a connection between "beauty" and "love," but not in the way advertisers would have us believe. They tout a form of beauty that is merely aesthetic, something that could inspire lust - a thin replica of love based more in desire and conquest. What they claim to bestow they cannot, for real beauty comes from within; and it is only that form of beauty that can make lasting love connections. True love is a unity of souls, not facial features and products that will be wiped clean away come the evening time. If we truly wish to be happy, to be healthy and grounded, content with who we are, we need to find real beauty in both ourselves and those who share our lives. Finding it begins with a quiet understanding of one other, not demanding perfection but seeking the beauty every person holds within.

Melony flicked through the images of young men on her phone – so many messages, so little time. Aaron had been fun, but his repertoire was getting stale. It was time for fresh blood, time for to put her beau in the garbage. She giggled. That's where she'd file the memories of him, fun though they were. He was clutter in her head and she wanted to be minimalist up top. First choice was colour and height, the right “model” made all the difference. Who wanted the same dinner over and over? Not her! Of course he'd be crushed, devastated. At that thought she felt an infusion of strength, so intoxicating. The power of the rejection, the power of choosing his replacement, followed by discovering the “talents” of the new boy. She giggled, first select, then dump Aaron... somewhere public where he couldn't make a fuss, then delete him, block him, job done.

Lust can be fun - I'm not saying it isn't – but where does it lead? What is it's purpose? Everyone I know who prefers lust to love was damaged by someone. They won't trust anymore and without trust you can't have love, it just isn't possible. So yeah, you can hit the internet and have more “partners” than a sailor on shore leave, and you'll still be lonely inside. Nothing can touch that but a true lover – trustworthy and kind. So don't give up on love, the real deal, not the hollywood fireworks version. Your love is your best friend, your confidant, your eternal refuge. For if we have a moral compass (and I believe we do) then what else could be true north but true love? I'm no prude, heck no, it's just that you're too precious to waste yourself in these shallow ways – dead ends when what you need is a haven for your soul.

Callie had read in some fancy magazine before that lust and passion were entirely different, but she'd never understood until that moment. She'd ditched Liam for being too needy... though she loved him and he'd loved her. It's what Greta had told her to do, “That boy is always gonna drag you down!” She looked over at her new lover, breathing in that shallow rhythmic way he did before waking. He was fun, but she didn't love him and that made everything they did “lust” instead of “passion.” She thought of Liam - her scrawny boy from the wrong side of the tracks and her heart broke some more. Her eyes became watery and she looked toward the ceiling, her mind falling down into an emotion she was already tired of, “What if all we get is one true love? What if? What if the first is always the strongest?” It was no matter now, none. Liam would never take her back. It was all in his eyes when they met at the office – cold distrust hiding the pain. Greta said it was just temporary, but somehow Callie didn't think so; she didn't really like herself anymore and there was a chance she never would. She was one of “those”girls, a person she never expected to be.

Todd sneered, “Give me a hot girl for a night or two and I don't care what her 'opinions' are. I don't like my 'tail' to talk unless they are complementing me or promising something naughty. Love is for fools. I like my women like my coffee cups – tempting and disposable. They come for the glamour and leave with a story, that's the way it is. Why else be successful? One trophy wife, one executive home, multiple sports cars and model girls on a carousel. Hell yeah!”

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Arrowbash 20 Pcs Art Dice Set Art Dice Games, Writing Dice Art Gift Drawing Game for Adult Writer Teacher Wooden Art Dice Creative Inspiration Gift Artist Studio Classroom Home School (Assorted Color)

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20 Pcs Art Dice Set Art Dice Games, Writing Dice Art Gift Drawing Game for Adult Writer Teacher Wooden Art Dice Creative Inspiration Gift Artist Studio Classroom Home School (Assorted Color)

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20 Pieces Art Dice Set: unleash your imagination with our generous set of our 20 colors wood art dice (1 inch with easy to read text); More dice, more creative possibilities, ensuring an abundant supply for your artistic endeavors
Diverse Art Elements: our writing dice set feature a wide range of art elements, including medium, color scheme, mood, region, style, time, cuisine, form, climate, floral, sensual, occupation, sport, discipline and theme, and so on, each die side represents a unique choice, allowing artists to explore artistic styles, mediums and themes
Nice Ways of Inspiration: with a roll of the dice you can either break an artistic slump; These art games have become art classrooms and art teachers must have supplies; Students continuously enhance their skills through enjoyable and challenging painting games, filling the classroom with joy and opening the door to the world of creativity for them
Funny Art Drawing Games: our art dice for creative inspiration offer a variety of gameplay options, including style tutorial mode, collaborative creation, timed challenges, and multi angle interpretations; And Ideal for art parties, game nights, or collaborative art projects; Create an atmosphere where creativity and enjoyment blend seamlessly
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Features: Springs of Inspiration: Whether applied in brainstorming sessions, icebreakers, or collaborative art endeavors, the set ensures a seamless blend of creativity and engagement for most participants. Play Individually or Together with Others: Suitable for solo play, as well as engaging with friends and family during a delightful game night or fostering creativity and collaboration in art classroom. Specifications: Material: wood Color: 20 colors Size: approx. 1 inch Package includes: 20 x Art dice Notes: Manual measurement, please allow slight errors on size. The color may exist a slight difference due to different screen displays. Small items are included, please use with care to avoid swallowing.

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Home • Baby • Baby Names

300+ Unique, Creative, And Cute Nicknames For Robert

Bob, Rob, or Robo, these nicknames paint a complete picture.

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In the world of pop culture, various fictional characters have been adorned with nicknames for Robert that have become iconic. From Rocky Balboa of gritty streets of Philadelphia and Rob Stark of the mystical lands of Westeros to Spongebob of Under the sea in a pineapple, these fictional characters named Robert have earned nicknames that reflect their unique personas. Here are various nicknames for Robert that symbolize the relationship you share with him. Choose one that speaks volumes without needing additional words; the name itself is enough to convey what Robert means to you.

These nicknames for Robert , listed from the best fits to the most unique options, give you plenty of choices.

Amazing Nicknames For Robert

This list includes nicknames connected to Robert in various ways, whether through roots, pronunciation, meaning, or equivalency.

Sharing many similarities in terms of its roots and meaning with Robert, this Germanic name meaning ‘noble and bright,’ makes an ideal nickname for Robert.

Bert is used as a diminutive of the names that carry ‘bert,’ which comes from ‘beraht’ an Old Germanic term meaning ‘bright.’

Another term meaning ‘bright,’ which is commonly used as a short form of names containing the element ‘berto.’

Bob is a familiar short form of the name Robert and has been used by numerous well-known individuals. Bob Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, an American musician, is one among them.

Of Germanic origins, this name comes from the Old German terms ‘heri’ meaning ‘army’ and ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright.’

6. Hrodebert

This is the ancient German variation of the name Robert. Hrodperht is a variant of this name which may also be used as a nickname for Robert.

Used as a given name and diminutive, this name comes from Roopertti, an Older Finnish version of the name Robert. A notable individual with this name is Pertti Olavi Jarla, a Finnish comics artist.

Spelled with an extra ‘h’, this name is a Welsh variation of Robert. This name was borne by Maredudd ap Rhobert, a Welsh leader from the thirteenth century who ruled over Cedewain.

An Irish equivalent of the name Robert, this name makes an apt nickname. This name is also associated with the meaning ‘royal bard.’

Commonly used as a shortened version of names beginning with ‘Ro,’ this name serves as a given name, nickname, or even a surname. One prominent figure who carries this name is Ro Hindson, a Canadian rugby union player.

A common short form of names that start with Rob such as Robert and Robin, this name is used both as a surname and a given name. Robert Reiner, an American actor, is famously known as Rob Reiner.

Robard is a Manx version of the name Robert. Howard Robard Hughes Jr, a notable American aerospace engineer, carried this name as his middle name.

This is a shortened form of the name Robrecht, which is an Older Dutch version of Robert. It is also used as a surname. One prominent bearer of the surname Robbe was Scott Robbe, an American film director.

A form of the name Robert, which is not commonly used. A fictional character named Robere appears in an action role-playing platform video game titled Dragon Valor, in which he takes on the role of a pirate.

Pronounced as RO-behrt, this is the Icelandic and Hungarian version of Robert.

16. Robertas

Carried by Robertas Javtokas, a Lithuanian basketball player, this name is a Lithuanian version of Robert.

17. Robertinho

This is a diminutive of the name Roberto, a name commonly used in Portuguese. A notable bearer is Roberto Oliveira Gonçalves do Carmo, who is recognized as Robertinho in the world of Brazilian football.

18. Robertino

A masculine form of the name Robertina, this name ultimately comes from the name Robert. Robertino Loreti, an Italian singer, is a well-known individual with this name.

19. Roberto

Roberto is a variation of the name Robert that is used in Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish. One notable figure associated with this name was Roberto Cavalli, an Italian fashion designer.

20. Robertos

Carried by a famous Greek singer named Robertos Konstantinos Williams, this name is a Greek version of Robert.

21. Roberts

A Latvian variation of the English name Robert, this name is commonly used as both a first name and a last name. One notable individual with this name is Roberts Uldriķis, a Latvian footballer.

22. Robertu

Robertu is the Maltese version of the name Robert.

23. Robertus

Robertus, the Latinized version of Robert, is associated with figures like Robertus Carolus Nicolaa Remkes, a notable major general in the American military.

24. Roberval

This nickname originates from combining Roberto with the suffix -val. Gilles Personne de Roberval, a renowned French mathematician bore this surname.

Formed by simply adding an ‘s’ to the beginning or the first syllable of the name Robert, this nickname may be used informally.

Roope, which is the Finnish version of Robert, is associated with Roope Hintz, a Finnish ice hockey player

27. Roopertti

This is an older Finnish version of the name Robert.

28. Roparzh

A variation of the name Robert, this name is specifically used in the Breton language.

This nickname is associated with Wilhelm Röpke, a renowned German economist. It originates as a diminutive of Robert in Low German.

30. Rovertos

Rovertos is a version of the name Robertos, spelled differently.

Rubert is an alternative version of the name Robert or a different spelling of Rupert. Sir Rubert William Boyce FRS, a renowned English pathologist, was known by this name.

32. Rudibert

This nickname originates from merging ‘Rudi,’ a short form derived from the Germanic term ‘hrod,’ with ‘beraht.’ It serves as another version of the name Robert

With its roots in the Old German nameHrodperht, this name is considered a German variant of Robert. One famous individual associated with this name is Rupert Grint, an English actor recognized for his portrayal of Ronald Weasley in the Harry Potter film series. Ruperto and Ruprecht are two variants of this name.

Creative Nicknames For Robert

Find below a list of names that share phonetic similarities with Robert in one or the other way. These alternatives to Robert showcase creativity and originality in choosing a nickname.

34. Bertalan

Sharing the ‘bert’ element with Robert, this name is a Hungarian version of Bartholomew, a biblical name meaning ‘son of Talmai.’ Talmai, in turn, means ‘furrowed’ in Hebrew.

A Kurdish name that means ‘daybreak or dawn.’

36. Bertbert

This nickname is derived from the Old Saxon word ‘berht,’ and the Old High German word ‘beraht,’ originating from ‘berhtaz,’ a Proto-Germanic term that translates to ‘light.’

37. Berteddu

Derived from the Nuorese and Logudorese dialects, this name is a diminutive of Albertu, itself a variant of Albert, a name meaning ‘noble and bright.’

38. Berteleme

Starting with the ‘bert’ element, this name is Bartholomew’s Breton version.

39. Bertfrid

With many similarities with the name Robert, this name combines Old High German terms ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright’ and ‘fridu’ meaning ‘peace.’

40. Berthold

A combination of the Old German terms ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright’ and ‘walt’ meaning ‘authority or power,’ this name signifies ‘bright power.’

41. Bertolf

Meaning ‘bright wolf,’ this German name is a variant of the name Bertulf, formed by combining the Old German term ‘beraht’ with the Gothic term ‘vulfs,’ meaning ‘wolf.’

42. Bertrad

A combination of Old High German terms ‘beraht’ and ‘rât’ meaning ‘counsel,’ this name means ‘ bright counsel.’

43. Bertram

Of Germanic origin, this name means ‘bright raven.’ It is formed by combining the Old German terms ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright’ with ‘hram’ meaning ‘raven.’

44. Bertran

Originating from Occitan, Catalan, Gascon, and Medieval French, this name is a variant of the name Bertrand. Its roots trace back to Old German, where ‘beraht’ signifies ‘bright’ and ‘rant’ refers to the ‘rim of a shield.’

45. Bertrid

This nickname comes from blending the Old High German word ‘beraht,’ meaning bright, with the Anglo-Saxon term ‘ridan,’ which means ‘to ride.’

46. Bertuccio

This is a Medieval Italian form of the name Berto. It is also used as a shorter version of names ending in -bertuccio. One notable figure with this name was Bertuccio Valier, who served as the 102nd Doge of Venice.

Meaning ‘bright friend,’ this name originates from Old High German, where ‘beraht’ means bright, and ‘wini’ means friend.

Betito is a form of the name Beto, which is used as a diminutive of Roberto.

Considered a diminutive of names ending in ‘berto,’ this name is also used as a surname. It is prominently used among Spanish and Portuguese-speaking communities.

50. Dagobert

Originating from the Old Frankish term ‘dag’ or the Old High German term ‘tag,’ referring to ‘day’, and combined with the Old Frankish term ‘berht’ or the Old High German term ‘beraht,’ meaning ‘bright,’ this name signifies ‘bright day.’

51. Engelbert

An Old Germanic name originating from either ‘angil,’ referring to the Angles tribe, or ‘engil,’ which means ‘angel,’ paired with ‘beraht,’ signifying ‘bright.’

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/baby-boy-angel-wings-118896709 Image: Shutterstock Alt Text Image: Nicknames For Robert Engelbert

Sharing the ‘ert’ element with Robert, this Turkish name means ‘dawn, sunrise, or early morning hour.’ Ertan Yuzeir Tombak, a Bulgarian footballer, is a well-known bearer of this name.

54. Knecht Ruprecht

Known as Servant Rupert, Farmhand Rupert, or Farmhand Robert in English, Knecht Ruprecht is a character from German folklore who accompanies Saint Nicholas. This name may suit someone who is fond of giving gifts.

55. Little King

Historically, Robert is a name that has been borne by many kings. Hence this nickname might suit someone who exudes confidence and leadership qualities.

56. Norbert

This name comes from the Old German terms ‘nord’ signifying ‘north’ and ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright.’

57. Obadiah

Sharing the ‘ob’ element with Robert, this Hebrew name means ‘ servant of Yahweh.’

A diminutive derived from names containing the root ‘wulf’ meaning wolf or ‘od’ meaning wealth, combined with a secondary element typically beginning with ‘b-‘ such as ‘brand’ or ‘beraht.’

Rab is a condensed Scottish version of the name Robert. It’s used as both a first and last name. Rab Douglas, a well-known Scottish footballer, is recognized by this nickname.

A shortened version of Rippert, which comes from Frisian and is a form of Ricbert. In Ricbert, the first part originates from the Germanic term ‘rîcja,’ meaning ‘strong, powerful, or mighty.’ The second part comes from the Old High German term ‘beraht,’ meaning ‘bright.’

This is a variant of the name Rob, which is a commonly used short form of Robert. This name gained popularity through the character Robb Stark in the Game of Thrones series, both in the novels and on television.

62. Robbert

Robbert is an alternate spelling of Robert commonly used in Dutch. One well-known individual with this name is Robbert Schilder, a Dutch professional football player.

A Sami version of Robert, this name is also used as a diminutive of Roberto. It is mostly used as a surname. Leighanne Robe, an English professional footballer, is a notable bearer of this nickname.

64. Robearta

Robearta is a variation of the name Robert, seen in the Sami culture.

65. Robeisy

Sharing the ‘robe’ element with Robert, this name makes a creative nickname for someone named Robert. Robeisy Ramírez, a Cuban boxer, is a notable individual with this name.

66. Robelot

This version of Robert is carried as a surname by Jane Robelot, an American TV host.

67. Robert teen

This nickname might fit someone who’s young at heart and energetic. The addition of ‘teen’ to the name Robert brings in a youthful flair to this name.

68. Robertin

A medieval French version of Robert, which is no longer a common given name in France. It persists as a surname, though it’s exceedingly rare.

69. Robertsan

A cool nickname with a Japanese vibe that works well for someone who likes Japanese culture.

70. Robertuccio

Formed by adding the Italian diminutive ‘-uccio,’ this name is a medieval Italian version of the name Roberto.

Robett is speculated to be a form of the name Robert. A fictional character with this name appears in George R. R. Martin’s novel series A Song of Ice and Fire and its TV counterpart Game of Thrones.

72. Robichon

With variants such as Robicheau, Robichou, and Robichaux, this name is considered a variant of Robert.

73. Robigus

Originating from the Latin term ‘robigo’ this name means ‘wheat rust or red blight.’ In Roman mythology, this was the name of a god who protected crops from diseases.

An alternative spelling of the name Robin, this name is also considered a pet form of the name Robert in Dutch.

A Portuguese version of Robin, this name may suit someone who has a connection to the Portuguese language or culture.

Robin, originating from Medieval England, is a shortened version of the name Robert, though it’s commonly seen as its own distinct name now. It may also be used to refer to the red-breasted bird named Robin. One notable individual bearing this name is Robin van Persie, a well-known Dutch footballer.

77. Robinet

A French form of the name Robin which itself is a version of the name Robert. Robinet Testard, a French painter, was a notable bearer of this name.

78. Robinho

Robinho is a short form of names such as Robson and Roberto. For example, Robson de Souza, a Brazilian footballer, is famously known as Robinho.

79. Robinhood

Robinhood is derived from a fusion of ‘Robin’ and ‘Hood.’ ‘Robin,’ linked to Robert, signifies ‘bright fame,’ while ‘Hood’ originates from Middle English, denoting an occupational name for a hood maker or a nickname for someone recognized for wearing a distinct hood.

80. Robinjeet

It combines Robin, which is a common short form of Robert, with ‘jeet,’ which can suggest victory or success.

A unisex name that is a spelling variant of Robin.

82. Robison

Robison is a variation of the name Robinson which means ‘son of Robin.’

Robiy is a shorter version of Robert or a variation of the name Robby.

Sharing the first part of the name with Robert, this name is a variant of Rooble, which is a Somali name that means ‘one who brings rain or rain man.’

Derived from Russian terms, this name means ‘born to be a Leninist.’

This name is speculated to be an Americanized form of ‘roble,’ a Spanish term, which means ‘oak.’

87. Robomił

Possibly meaning ‘dear work,’ this name originates from the Polish term ‘robota’ and ultimately from the Slavic term ‘orbota.’

88. Robosław

Another name with Polish and Slavic roots that possibly means ‘glory is work’ or ‘to work for glory’ or ‘work is glory.’

89. Roboute

Roboute is probably a made-up French variation of the name Robert.

Robt is a shortened version of the name Robert. A notable bearer includes Robt Ptak, an American singer.

91. Robustianus

Originating from the Roman name ‘Robustus,’ this name means ‘oak, oaken, strong, robust, resistant, or vigorous.’ It refers to someone who is considered the son of Robustus or a descendant of Robustus.

92. Siegbert

With similar origins that of Robert, this name comes from the Old German terms ‘sigu’ meaning ‘victory’ and ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright.’

Trebor is simply Robert spelled backward. This nickname is associated with Robert Trebor, an American character actor.

Unique Nicknames For Robert

Ranging from truly rare names to nicknames of famous fictional characters named Robert, these distinctive options set Robert apart, offering a special and individualized identity.

Just like the famous boxer Robert ‘Rocky’ Balboa, this nickname suits someone who doesn’t give up easily.

This rare name is used as a diminutive of names that contain the element ‘bert.’

96. Bertoldas

A unique nickname for Robert which is the Lithuanian form of the name Berthold, an Old Germanic name that means ‘bright power.’ Bertoldo is another variant that may also fit well as a nickname for Robert.

97. Bertomatic

Mixing ‘Bert’ with ‘omatic,’ this nickname gives off a cool, automated vibe, fitting for a Robert who’s efficient and always on top of things.

98. Bertrando

It’s the Italian version of the name Bertrand, which itself is an old Germanic name meaning ‘bright rim.’

99. Bobalicious

A nickname that suits Robert known for his infectious energy and zest for life.

100. Bobby Blaze

Perfect for a Robert who’s known for his drive and determination.

101. Bobert

Bobert is a variation of the name Robert, using the nickname Bob. A fictional character named Bobert, a robot, is featured in an animated sitcom titled The Amazing World of Gumball.

Originating from a Bulgar Turkic name, sometimes referred to as Bogoris, this name possibly means ‘wolf,’ ‘short,’ or ‘snow leopard.’ It’s commonly associated with Robert through the familiar nickname Bob.

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/intense-timber-wolf-canis-lupus-sits-54733162 Image: Shutterstock Alt Text Image: Nicknames For Robert Boris

With no direct connection to the original name, this nickname is inspired by the character Dobby the House Elf from the Harry Potter series. This nickname may suit Robert who is helpful and loyal.

This short and catchy nickname is inspired by the fictional character Robert Gru from the animated movie series Despicable Me.

105. Hildebert

A rare German name meaning ‘bright battle,’ that comes from the Old German terms ‘hilt’ meaning ‘battle’ and ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright.’

Hob is a medieval abbreviation for the name Robert. Notably, an American author named Hob Broun carried this nickname. Additionally, the given name Hob is also associated with the meaning ‘famous.’

107. Hrōþiberhtaz

In the Proto-Germanic language, Hrōþiberhtaz serves as a reconstruction for the name Robert.

This name draws inspiration from Hulk, the alter ego of Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a character known for his immense strength and power in the Marvel comics.

109. Kunibert

A Germanic rare name that comes from the Old German terms ‘kuni’ meaning ‘royal’ and ‘beraht’ meaning ‘bright.’

110. Langdon

Inspired by the character Robert Langdon from the Da Vinci series, this nickname suits someone who has a knack for solving puzzles or mysteries.

111. Maverick Bob

With a touch of rebellion, this nickname hints at a Robert who’s unorthodox and independent-minded.

112. MaverickRob

If Robert isn’t afraid to challenge the existing norms, this nickname is a perfect fit.

113. Mr Incredible

Just like the character from ‘The Incredibles,’ this Robert might be seen as a superhero in their own right.

114. NobleRob

This nickname is for a Robert who upholds honor and dignity in all he does.

115. R-Force

Short and punchy, this nickname is suitable for a Robert who commands respect and authority.

116. RadiantRob

Suited for a Robert who brings brightness wherever he goes, whether through his smile or his positive energy.

117. Raibeart

Raibeart is the Scottish Gaelic version of the name Robert. In Scottish Gaelic, Robert the Bruce, the King of Scots, was referred to as Raibeart am Brusach.

With uncertain meaning, this name that shares the same origin with Robert is speculated to be from the name Raimond, which is linked to the Germanic name Raginmund, made of ‘regin’ meaning ‘counsel or advice,’ and ‘munt’ for protection. It may also be from the Old Estonian word ‘raivo,’ signifying ‘rage or fury.’ In Malagasy tradition, Raivo is also given to a girl with both older and younger siblings.

119. RebelRob

Perfect for a Robert who marches to the beat of his own drum.

120. Rhythm Rob

This nickname is ideal for a Robert who’s musically inclined or has a natural sense of timing.

121. Roarke

Sharing the first two letters with Robert, this name comes from the Irish surname Ó Ruairc and means ‘kingly or red-haired.’

122. Robaldo

Originating from Italy, this name comes from the Germanic name Rotbald, which means ‘fame’ combined with ‘bold, brave.’

Robat is the Welsh version of the name Robert.

124. Robban

Robban is a Swedish short form of Robert. A well-known individual associated with this name is Robban Andersson, a Swedish television figure.

125. Robben

Another variant of the name Robin, borne by Robben Lee Ford, an American guitarist.

126. Robberto

Robberto with an additional ‘b’ is the spelling variant of Roberto.

127. Robbertt

Believed to be a variation of Robert, likely derived from the surname Robbertt, this is considered an uncommon name.

This name is considered a variant of the name Robbie, a diminutive of Roberta or Robert.

129. Roberth

Carrying an additional ‘h,’ this name is another spelling variant of the name Robert.

130. Roberti

Another variant of the name Robert, famously borne by Roberto Roberti, an Italian actor.

131. Robertsson

A surname meaning ‘son of Robert.’ It’s perfect for someone who’s proud of their roots and wants a unique spin on their name.

132. Robeson

A unique name derived from the family name Robeson, this name was popularized by Paul Leroy Robeson, a renowned American concert performer.

133. Robespierre

Used as both a first and last name, this name refers to Maximilien Robespierre, a prominent figure in the French Revolution, recognized for his leadership during that era.

Short of an ‘r,’ this name is considered a variant of Robert.

135. Robinas

Robinas is a variation of the name Robin used in Lithuania.

136. Robins

Robins is the Latvian version of the name Robin. Edward Haas Robins, an American actor, was a well-known bearer of this name.

137. Robmeister

A combination of Rober’s first syllable with the German term ‘meister,’ meaning ‘master,’ this nickname may suit someone who has a knack for taking charge.

138. RoboRoar

For Robert who’s bold and unafraid to speak his mind.

139. Robosphere

Combining ‘Rob’ with ‘sphere,’ this nickname is suitable for a Robert with diverse interests and talents.

140. Robrecht

Occasionally still used in Belgium, this name is an older Dutch version of the name Robert.

141. Robsin

A fusion of Robert and Robin, this name adds a touch of uniqueness to the traditional name Robert, making it stand out in a crowd.

142. Robsom

Variant of the name Robson, which means ‘son of Rob,’ used mainly among Portuguese-speaking communities.

143. Robtron

This nickname blends ‘Rob’ with ‘tron,’ making it perfect for a Robert who’s into gadgets and innovation.

144. RobustRob

A nickname that is ideal for a Robert who’s full of energy.

145. Robzen

A fusion of ‘Rob’ and ‘zen,’ this nickname fitting for a Robert who can keep calm even when faced with the most difficult situations.

146. Roburt

Pronounced as Ro-burt, this name is considered a variant of Robert. This altered spelling gives this traditional name a distinctive touch.

This name gained popularity through its use in the movie Rocky Balboa, where it’s the nickname of the main character, Robert Balboa, a club fighter. It is a shortened version of names like Rocco or those that start with a similar sound or is used as a term for someone strong or tough.

148. Roderick

Sharing origins with Robert, this name comes from the Old German terms ‘hruod’ meaning ‘fame’ and ‘rih’ meaning ‘king or ruler,’ thus meaning ‘famous ruler.’

Roe is a short name of multiple origins that fits well as a nickname of Robert. In Irish, it is considered a form of ‘Ruagh,’ meaning ‘red-haired or redhead.’ It is also considered a habitational surname which is derived from ‘ruð,’ an Old Norse term meaning ‘clearing.’ Additionally, it is also a name of Middle English origin, that was used to refer to a shy or timid person.

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cute-smiling-toddler-baby-crawling-on-691570390 Image: Shutterstock Alt Text Image: Nicknames For Robert Roe

150. Roibeárd

Roibeárd is the Irish version of the name Robert.

151. Ronald

With the same initial letters as Robert, this name comes from the Old Norse name Ragnvaldr, which is composed of the terms ‘regin’ meaning ‘ counsel or advice’ and ‘valdr’ meaning ‘ruler.’

152. Rudolf

Another German origin name that shares roots with Robert, this name is composed of the terms ’hruod’ meaning ‘fame’ and ‘wolf’ meaning ‘wolf.’

153. RumbleRob

This nickname suits someone who’s always ready for action.

154. Rupertus

A Latinized version of the name Rupert, a commonly used variant of the name Robert.

155. Sentry

This nickname conveys a sense of guardianship and bravery, much like the Marvel Comics superhero Robert Reynolds, also known as Sentry.

156. Sideshow bob

A fun and one-of-a-kind nickname for Robert, that may suit someone who’s outgoing, adventurous, and not afraid to stand out from the crowd.

157. StealthRob

If Robert is known for his subtle yet effective approach to things, this nickname fits.

158. ZenRob

For Robert who has a calm outlook toward life in general.

Cute Nicknames For Robert

The below-given list of sweet names adds a loving touch to the name Robert and is perfect for showing affection.

This nickname for Robert suggests a charming and handsome demeanor. It’s fitting for someone with a polished and suave personality.

160. Bernie

A cute and endearing nickname for Robert, suggesting a friendly and approachable nature. It’s ideal for someone with a warm and affable personality.

161. Bertie

A nickname that perfectly captures the affection you feel for Robert.

162. Bertie Bear Hug

This nickname is perfect for someone who gives the best bear hugs and makes you feel safe and loved.

163. Bertie Boo Bear

Overflowing with sweetness and affection, this nickname is for someone who is a beloved companion who brings joy and comfort into your life.

164. Bertie Bop

Adding Bop to the name Bertie, this nickname suits someone who brings joy wherever they go.

165. Bertie Bright

This nickname suits someone who’s always shining bright, even on the gloomiest of days.

166. Bertie bubbles

This cute nickname is perfect for someone with a bubbly and cheerful personality.

167. Bertie bud

A sweet nickname indicating a close friendship or companionship.

168. Bertie Button

An adorable nickname that suits someone who’s as cute and lovable as a button.

169. Bertie fluff

This nickname is suitable for someone who is kind-hearted and compassionate.

170. Bertie honey

An endearing nickname filled with sweetness and warmth.

171. Bertie poo

The addition of ‘poo’ to Bertie gives it a childlike charm, perfect for someone who is cherished and adored.

172. Bertie pup

Another nickname that exudes warmth and is ideal for someone who is playful, energetic, and lovable, just like a puppy.

173. Bertie-Bob

A nickname formed by the addition of Bob to Bertie resulting in a cute name that’s both friendly and familiar.

174. Bertie-Rob

This nickname combines elements of ‘Bertie’ and ‘Rob,’ creating a name that’s both unique and endearing.

175. Bertil

A Scandinavian version of German origin names Berthold or Bertilo, this name ending in the ‘-il’ sound may be used as a cute nickname for Robert.

176. Bertilo

Sharing the same roots with Robert, this Germanic name with an affectionate sound is used as a diminutive of other Germanic names that start with the German term ‘beraht’ meaning ‘famous or bright.’

177. Bertinho

Bertinho is a name of Portuguese origin. It is used as a short form of names that end with the element ‘-berto,’ such as Alberto and Roberto.

178. Bertolo

Considered either a variant of Berto, a short form of Roberto, or Bartolo, a form of the name Bartholomew.

179. Birdie

This nickname likens Robert to a chirpy bird, which may convey a sense of lightness, warmth, and affection.

180. Bobalicious

An adorable nickname that may suit someone who’s full of charm and charisma, making every moment with them feel like a treat.

181. Bobaroo

Similar to Robaroo, this nickname is both cute as well as filled with energy.

182. Bobber

Apt for Robert who is someone who bobs along cheerfully in life, taking things as they come.

Used as a diminutive of names such as Barbera or Roberta, this nickname feels warm and intimate, like a nickname used between close friends or family members.

184. Bobbins

A nickname that suits someone who’s full of surprises and always keeps you guessing.

185. Bobble

It’s ideal for someone who’s full of energy, like a bobblehead doll that never stops moving.

186. Bobblekins

It’s perfect for someone who’s sweet-natured and lovable, like a cherished companion.

187. Bobbles

It’s perfect for someone who’s always full of surprises and brings a little bit of magic into your life.

188. Bobblesworth

For someone who’s full of surprises and keeps you guessing.

A form of the name Bob, this commonly used nickname of Robert is friendly, approachable, and affectionate.

190. Bobby Boo Boo

This nickname with double ‘boo’ is perfect for someone who’s sweet and caring, always ready to kiss your boo-boos away and make everything better.

191. Bobby Sunshine

Filled with feelings of warmth, this nickname is perfect for someone who brightens your day with a smile.

192. Bobbykins Boo

Perfect for someone who’s sweet and charming,this nickname is filled with affection.

193. Bobbykins Snugglemuffin

It’s ideal for someone who’s as sweet as a muffin and loves to snuggle up close.

194. Bobbykins

Combining ‘Bobby’ with the affectionate suffix ‘-kins’ results in a nickname that’s as adorable as it is endearing.

Short and cute, this nickname may fit someone who’s fun-loving and carefree.

196. Bobster-Bear

Cute and affectionate, this nickname fits someone who’s playful and adventurous, like a curious bear cub exploring the world.

197. Bobster

This cute and catchy nickname reflects the endless energy that Robert possesses.

A nickname that’s apt for addressing someone you feel a strong bond with, someone who is like a brother or a close friend.

With a cute sound, this name is a Shetlandic Scots version of the name Arthur which is associated with meanings such as ‘bear, man or king.’

A name of Igbo origin meaning ‘heart.’

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/handsome-blonde-toddler-shirt-garland-hearts-2123787482 Image: Shutterstock Alt Text Image: Nicknames For Robert Obi

201. Obinna

Composed of the elements ‘óbì’ meaning ‘mind or heart’ and ‘ńnà’ meaning ‘father,’ This name means ‘heart of the father’ in Igbo.

202. Rabbie

A Scottish nickname for Robert, often used to refer to the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns.203.

This affectionate nickname is perfect for someone who’s lovable and cuddly.

This nickname brings out the tender side of Robert and is perfect for someone who’s lovable and cuddly.

205. Ro baby

An apt nickname for someone who’s cherished and adored, like a precious little baby.

Short, simple, and cute, this nickname is ideal for someone with a cheerful personality.

207. Rob Dob

This nickname suits someone who’s easygoing and fun-loving.

208. Robalicious

It’s ideal for someone who’s charming and delightful, with a hint of irresistible charm.

209. Robaroo Cuddlebug

This nickname suits someone who loves nothing more than sharing affectionate moments.

210. Robaroo-Bear

Perfect for someone who’s as cuddly as a teddy bear and always ready to give warm hugs.

211. Robaroo-Roo

Doubling up on ‘Roo’ adds an extra layer of affection to the nickname.

212. Robaroo

This playful nickname combines ‘Rob’ with the endearing ‘aroo,’ creating a name that’s as fun to say as it is cute.

213. Robbie

Classic and timeless, this commonly used diminutive of Robert reflects warmth and affection towards Robert, like an old friend.

214. Robbie Joy

For someone who brings joy and positivity into the lives of everyone they meet.

215. Robbie Sweetheart

This nickname is perfect for showing your love and affection just through a name.

216. Robbins Poppins

Inspired by the fictional character ‘Mary Poppins,’ this nickname is perfect for a Robert who brings joy and magic into people’s lives, just like the beloved fictional character.

This affectionate nickname shortens Robert to its friendliest form.

A simple and endearing nickname for Robert, implying closeness and familiarity.

219. Robby blossom

It’s fitting for a Robert who brings happiness and brightness wherever he goes, like a blossoming flower.

220. Robby bunny

A cute and cuddly nickname, perfect for a Robert who’s maybe a bit playful, just like a bunny joyfully hopping around.

221. Robby heart

This nickname reflects the deep affection and love the caller feels for Robert.

222. Robby kins

Adding ‘kins’ to ‘Robby’ gives a sense of familial closeness and endearment.

223. Robby love

This nickname reflects deep affection, care, and a special connection.

224. Robby Lovebug

It’s perfect for someone who’s not just a friend but also a constant source of love and happiness in your life.

225. Robby muffin

Sweet and comforting, just as warm and delightful as a freshly baked muffin.

226. Robby pops

A fun and energetic nickname, perfect for a Robert who’s spirited.

227. Robby pudding

This nickname is perfect for a Robert who’s soft, sweet, and comforting, just like a pudding.

228. Robby snuggle

It’s for a Robert who’s like a cozy blanket, offering comfort and security.

229. Robby Sugar

Sweet as sugar, this nickname is for Robert who always brings sweetness into people’s lives.

230. Robby Sunshine

Bright and cheerful, this nickname is ideal for someone who brings light and positivity wherever he goes.

231. Robby sweetie

Simple yet affectionate, this nickname suits a person who’s as sweet as can be.

232. Robby-Buddy

An apt nickname for someone who’s always there to lend a helping hand and offer support, like a true friend.

233. Robby-Dobby

Drawing inspiration from the mischievous house-elf, this is ideal for someone who brings a bit of enchantment into your life.

234. Robbyboby

Perfect for a close friend or partner who’s always there for you, through thick and thin.

235. Robbykins Snugglebug

For someone who loves to snuggle up and share cozy moments together.

236. Robendearing

This nickname combines ‘Rob’ with ‘endearing,’ emphasizing the person’s lovable nature. It’s perfect for someone who’s sweet, affectionate, and impossible not to adore.

Robi is a short form of Róbert, Icelandic and Hungarian form of Rorbert. Robi Botos, a Hungarian-Canadian pianist, is a notable bearer of this name.

238. Robikins

It’s perfect for someone who’s like family, with a bond that’s unbreakable.

239. Robinski

Combining ‘Rob’ with the suffix ‘-inski,’ this nickname is for someone who has a style all their own.

240. Robito

This cute nickname, with a bit of Spanish flair, is ideal for someone who is intrigued by Spanish culture.

241. Roblet

This adorable nickname shares the first syllable with Robert and combines a diminutive suffix for extra cuteness.

242. Robo-Buddy

This friendly nickname combines ‘Robo’ with ‘Buddy,’ and is perfect for celebrating the friendship you share with Robert.

243. Robs-Bear

A nickname that’s as cuddly as it is cute and is ideal for someone who’s both strong and gentle.

244. Robsicle

Evoking images of sweetness and coolness this name can be used to address someone who’s as cool as ice but also warm-hearted and friendly.

245. Robstar

This nickname will suit someone with a shining personality.

246. Robster-Bear

For someone who’s strong and dependable, yet also gentle and affectionate, like a protective bear watching over their loved ones.

A cute nickname for Robert because it combines the familiarity of ‘Rob’ with a touch of endearment.

Roby is a Dutch short form of Robert ending with ‘y,’ thes ound of which adds a cute touch to this name.

A name of Germanic origins that is speculated to be from the term ‘hruoh’ meaning ‘rook or crow.’ It is also associated with meanings such as ‘rest or repose.’

It’s short, sweet, and easy to say, making it perfect for someone who is approachable and friendly.

Funny Nicknames For Robert

These lighthearted alternatives bring humor to the name Robert, making everyday interactions more joyful and amusing.

251. Bob Stone

For a Robert who’s tough as nails but when it comes to spicy food, he just can’t handle it.

252. Bob the Builder

This nickname is for Robert who’s always fixing things, even if they weren’t broken in the first place.

253. Bobby Banter

It’s perfect for a Robert who loves to joke around and have a good time.

254. Cartoon Bob

This nickname is ideal for a Robert who has got a colorful personality or does funny things like they do in cartoons.

255. Chuckle Chum Bob

It’s fitting for Robert who is everyone’s favorite funny buddy.

256. Chuckles Bob

This nickname suits someone who’s known for their constant good humor.

257. Comic Robotic

It’s for the guy who’s hilariously awkward in the best possible way.

258. Gigglemeister Rob

This nickname suggests that Robert is the master of giggles.

259. Gigglin’ Robbo

This nickname is for the guy who can’t stop giggling no matter how serious the situation is.

260. Grin Guru Bob

Suits a Robert who is an expert when it comes to putting smiles on people’s faces.

261. Ha-Ha Robert

Simple and straightforward, this nickname is for the guy whose jokes always have everyone saying, ‘Ha-ha, Robert!’

262. Hobbit Robbit

It mixes ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Rabbit,’ so maybe Robert’s small and playful, like a hobbit, but also a bit mischievous like a rabbit.

263. Humor King Bob

‘Humor King’ is ideal for a Robert who’s always the funniest person in the room.

264. Jester Rob

This nickname suits someone who is always ready to entertain with his witty remarks and funny antics.

265. Jovial Robbie

This nickname perfectly describes Robert who’s always in a good mood.

266. King Robert

He’s the ruler of his own little world, but that world might just be his living room.

267. Laugh-a-Minute Rob

This nickname suggests that Robert is so funny, he’ll have you laughing every minute you’re around him.

268. Laughing Bobby

Does the Robert you know have an infectious laughter? If so, this nickname may suit him well.

269. Pennywise

This one’s for Robert who is a bit of a prankster, who hides rubber snakes in your desk drawer or jumps out from behind corners wearing a creepy clown mask.

270. Quipster Rob

For someone who’s quick-witted, full of clever remarks, and always has snappy comebacks.

271. R2-Bob2

It’s like ‘R2-D2’ from Star Wars but with Robert’s name. This nickname is ideal for someone who is a fan of R2-D2.

272. Rabbit

A funny nickname for Robert who keeps hopping from one thing to another like a little bunny.

273. Reboot

For Robert, who is always hitting the reset button, whether it’s on a project or his life choices.

274. Rib-Ticklin’ Rob

This nickname is perfect for a Robert who has a killer sense of humor and whose jokes are so funny, that they’ll make your ribs ache from laughter.

275. Ricky Bobby

If Robert is living life at full throttle, just like the famous race car driver, then this nickname may suit him well.

276. Ro bat

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, it’s just Robert, trying to be a superhero in his own unique way.

277. Rob Marley

Picture Bob Marley jamming on the beach, but in the form of your buddy Robert.

278. Rob Sparrow

Inspired by Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, maybe Robert’s charmingly odd and loves adventure, like a pirate with a funny twist.

279. Rob The Explorer

Does Robert always talk about going on expeditions to far away places even though he is a lazy person? Then this funny name is the perfect fit for him.

280. Rob Weasley

It’s like Ron Weasley from Harry Potter, so maybe Robert’s friendly and often finds himself in funny situations, just like Ron.

281. Rob-Bat

A combination of ‘Robert’ and ‘Batman,’ which may be used to address a Robert who considers himself a superhero.

282. Robba Fett

If Robert has a cool and mysterious persona, like Boba Fett from Star Wars, then this name is for him.

283. Robberfly

Inspired by the insect of the same name, this nickname is apt for someone who is always buzzing with energy.

284. Robbert Hood

A nickname inspired by the legendary character Robin hood, that may be used for someone who helps out the needy.

285. Robbie The Robber

For a Robert who is always pulling pranks or sneaking snacks when nobody’s looking.

286. Robbington

Inspired by Sherlock Holmes, this fits a Robert who is clever and good at figuring things out, but in a funny way, like a detective in a comedy.

287. Roblo Ren

It’s a mix of Robert and Kylo Ren from Star Wars, so maybe Robert’s got a bit of a serious side but also likes to have fun, like a playful version of Kylo Ren.

288. Roblox

If Robert’s the type who’s glued to his screen, building virtual worlds or just trying to navigate the real one, this nickname will fit him well if he is a video game enthusiast.

Imagine a dude so organized and efficient, he’s practically a machine. If this description fits Robert well, then this lighthearted name is just perfect for him.

290. Robo-funny

For a Robert who always carries a serious demeanor but when it comes to telling jokes no one can beat him.

291. Robo-Ninja

This nickname suits Robert who is a ninja when it comes to dealing with electronic gadgets.

292. Robo-Ranger

Inspired by the iconic cowboys of the Wild West, this nickname is ideal for someone who is a die hard fan of cowboy movies and always dresses up as one for all costume parties.

293. Robo-Samurai

Drawing from the samurai warriors of Japan, this nickname is for someone who would fight, albeit verbally, till the end, to prove his point.

294. Robo-Wizard

For a Robert who is nothing short of a wizard when it comes to fixing technological errors.

295. Robocalypse

Watch out, world, because when Robert’s around, anything can happen. It’s like the end of days but with a lot more laughter and a lot fewer zombies.

296. RoboCop

For a Robert who is always talking about justice and duty and probably wears sunglasses indoors.

297. Robosaur

If your little Robert is a huge fan of dinosaurs and has a collection of miniature dinosaurs, then this name is ideal for him.

298. Robtron

If the Robert you know is a huge fan of Transformers, and often quotes Optimus Prime’s dialogues, then this name may suit him well.

299. Robust

This nickname is for Robert who’s always flexing his muscles whenever he comes across a mirror.

300. Robzilla

An apt nickname for someone who stomps through life like a giant monster, unleashing dad jokes and bad puns.

301. Witty Robster

It’s for Robert who’s quick with the comebacks and always has a sharp sense of humor.

Discover More Names

When you have to choose a name for your baby, a few hundreds of names may not be just enough. Keep digging our mine of baby names until you find that one precious gem.

Explore our huge database for that one right name

Robert, a Germanic name meaning ‘bright fame,’ has maintained popularity since the 1900s, consistently ranking in the top 100 names ( 1 ). Throughout history, Robert has represented kings, dukes, presidents, and even saints. It’s no surprise that such a widely used name has spurred a demand for nicknames that reflect the bearer’s personality and the relationship. If you wish to showcase the uniqueness of your bond with Robert, what better way than through a nickname? Whether it’s humorous like Robocob or heartfelt like Rocky, the chosen nickname for Robert can bring as much joy to the person as it does when calling them by that name.

Robert. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
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Ways to Describe Chests and Breasts: A Word List for Writers
Nouns, Both Chests and Breasts. N to T nipples, pecs, pectorals, thorax. Refer to the next two sections as well for suitable nouns. Nouns, Chests Only. You might (usually in poetry or older works) find breast used as a replacement for chest, as in: He beat upon his breast.
Breast Adjectives: Describing Words with Examples
For example: Her powerful breasts showcased her strength, each muscle defined and commanding attention. 4. Natural and Organic. To celebrate the natural beauty of breasts, select adjectives that emphasize their organic form and appearance. Some suitable words include: Soft. Natural. Blossoming. Pure.
Breasts
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Physical Feature Entry: Chest
describing a woman's breasts as beach balls, balloons, etc. breasts that 'heave' A chest that is 'as hard as a rock' BONUS TIP: The Color, Texture, and Shape Thesaurus might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above! Describe your character's features in a way that reveals more than just a physical description.
Steamy yet Sophisticated: How to Write the Perfect Kissing Scene
Dolphin-Slippery Kissing in Sophie's Choice. Considered by many to be William Styron's magnum opus, this story chronicles the friendship between a young Southern writer and a polish Auschwitz survivor. In this scene the young writer, affectionally named Stingo, is observing a painting beside a young jewish girl named Leslie.
ways to describe female body shape
Actually, the words you use in description can reveal a lot about the character whose POV you are presenting; so does the choice of features to describe. So describing her as having "large luscious hooters" or "bodacious sweater puppies" would say more about the POV character than about the girl he (or she) is describing.
Master List of Physical Description for Writers
For all the words about describing facial features, I'm focusing more on physical descriptions rather than emotional expressions, though there's a little crossover! You can also check out my long list of facial expressions. large. small. narrow. sharp. squinty. round. wide-set.
r/writing on Reddit: How do you write about the female body with out
In a non-sexual context, instead of "The shirt hung loosely over her breasts." use "The shirt hung loosely around her torso." The firm round breasts bit is unnecessary unless you're sexualizing her. I leave a lot of character description out of my writing. No one needs to know nor cares what my characters look like.
Physical Feature Entry: Curvy Build
Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions. Descriptors: buxom, voluptuous, curvaceous, sensual, bosomy. People Likely to have an Curvy Build: confident women, celebrities. Famous Examples: Marilyn Monroe.
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If you can disassociate breasts from being purely sexual, you can notice physical detail or description that isn't sexual -- stay away from comparisons to "humonguous ripe cantaloupes," and look more for stuff like how a large-breasted woman is comfortable sitting at a table, or whether she prefers T-shirts over finding well-tailored fits.
Crafting Your Narrator's Emotional Truth: A ...
This challenge intensifies when writing about a subject such as breasts that is deeply personal and considered in the eyes of the culture a source of shame. You're not supposed to talk about breasts! (Indeed, in my experience with breast cancer, society deems it more acceptable to talk about breast cancer, emphasis on cancer, than about the ...
Quotes and Descriptions to Inspire Creative Writing
love nexus. "When we make daily choices that are emotionally indifferent, the sort that the money-nexus makes faux-virtues of, we build our capacity for emotional indifference at the direct expense of our capacity for empathy, and thus the conflict between money and love is laid bare." Creative writing ideas by abraham.
How to Describe Women Without Degrading Them
The first thing you need to know is that attractive women are generally sorted into two opposing stereotypes: the "Madonna" and the "whore.". The Madonna is virtuous, modest, and chaste. She is naturally beautiful, but she doesn't know that she's beautiful or make an effort to enhance her appearance.
How do I describe a female character's appearance without ...
For me, the most important descriptions are height, hair color/style, scars, and build (slim, plump, muscled). Unless it's erotica, a female character's breasts, subtle sexiness, butt, any sort of sexualization aren't necessary. Reply reply. Afanis_The_Dolphin. •.
How do I write about describing a female character? : r/writing
The woman might compare herself more than describe. The pervert might drool while counting every grain of her areolas as he tears her clothes apart. If you're the narrator and it just comes as if you're jacking off at your own descriptions, don't expect people to not bat an eye. I'm a female writer.
Quotes descriptions and ideas about breasts
Describe breasts : search results on Descriptionari ... educators and professional writers discover and share inspirational writing and amazing descriptions. ... Creative Writing Ideas. Toggle navigation. Log In; Switch to low bandwith; Log In; Search for creative inspiration. 19,890 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,964 themes.
Dear male writers: here's how not to write about breasts
A note from a very weary editor, to all male writers: Women's breasts are not communication devices. They are not sending you, or your male protagonists, encoded messages. They are, in fact, insentient. They neither dance nor issue invitations. — Katherine May (@_katherine_may_) September 6, 2019. In the vast majority of scenarios, they don ...
The Gigantic List of Character Descriptions (70+ examples)
23. Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness. "He was commonplace in complexion, in feature, in manners, and in voice. He was of middle size and of ordinary build. His eyes, of the usual blue, were perhaps remarkably cold, and he certainly could make his glance fall on one as trenchant and heavy as an axe….
Anatomical Poems about the Breast ("Le Beau Tetin") and Anatomical
The pursuit of the beautiful breast has existed for centuries. As a marker of femininity, a sexual symbol, and a sustainer of new life, the female breast has occupied an iconic position in Western art—including both literary and visual representations. 1 In an anonymous medieval (12th or 13th century) French fictional story, "Aucassin et Nicolette," there is a description of beautiful ...
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Educational Value: This unit contains an introduction to free verse poetry, and 8 active poetry writing lessons / activities to inspire your students to write poems. Develops Literacy Skills: Encourages reading, writing, and critical thinking. Enhances Creativity: Promotes imaginative expression without the constraints of traditional poetry forms.
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This End of Year Writing Craft Packet includes: "Look How Far I Made It" Binocular Coloring Craft (can be printed or can be used as a coloring option) "My Achievement Map (with coloring page option) (drawing page option) (cut and paste page option) Compass Writing Craft Mini Booklet. Hope you'll enjoy this "Treasure Map" Inspired Writing craft ...
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300+ Unique, Creative, And Cute Nicknames For Robert
1. Albert. Sharing many similarities in terms of its roots and meaning with Robert, this Germanic name meaning 'noble and bright,' makes an ideal nickname for Robert. 2. Bert. Bert is used as a diminutive of the names that carry 'bert,' which comes from 'beraht' an Old Germanic term meaning 'bright.'. 3.
Breast
The breast is one of two prominences located on the upper ventral region of the torso among humans and other primates.Both sexes develop breasts from the same embryological tissues. The relative size and development of the breasts is a major secondary sex distinction between males and females.. In females, it serves as the mammary gland, which produces and secretes milk to feed infants.