Compound Adjectives

snow-white flowers, a well-known journalist, a good-looking boy
compound adjectives

What are compound adjectives?

A compound adjective is an adjective that is made up of two or more words working together to describe a noun. These words are usually connected by a hyphen (-). The combination creates a single idea that describes the noun in more detail.

How to form compound adjectives

  • adjective + adjective: red-hot
  • adjective + noun: long-distance
  • adjective + present participle: easy-going
  • adjective + past participle: ready-made
  • noun + adjective: ice-cold
  • noun + past participle: hand-made
  • noun + present participle: Thai-speaking
  • adverb + past participle: well-prepared

Examples of compound adjectives

  1. dark-blue (adjective + adjective)

    • meaning: a deep shade of blue
    • He wore a dark-blue suit to the meeting.

  2. full-time (adjective + noun)

    • meaning: working or happening for all of the time, not part-time
    • She has a full-time job at the local cafe.

  3. good-looking (adjective + present participle)

    • meaning: attractive in appearance
    • He's a good-looking actor.

  4. well-known (adjective + past participle)

    • meaning: famous or recognized by many people
    • We interviewed a well-known author.

  5. snow-white (noun + adjective)

    • meaning: as white as snow
    • The snow-white flowers were nice.

  6. sun-dried (noun + past participle)

    • meaning: dried in the sun
    • I love sun-dried tomatoes on my pizza.

  7. time-consuming (noun + present participle)

    • meaning: something that takes a lot of time
    • Cooking for a large family can be time-consuming.

  8. well-prepared (adverb + past-participle)

    • meaning: made ready for use with great care
    • They grow well in rich and well-prepared soil.

Important tip about hyphenation

Use a hyphen between the words when the compound adjective comes before the noun. However, when the compound adjective comes after the noun, the hyphen is often not needed. For example:

  • She lives in a well-known city.

  • That city is well known.

Example sentences using compound adjectives

Here are some example sentences, some of which also show three- and four-word compound adjectives and cases where no hyphen is needed:

  • She wore a well-made dress to the party.
  • We stayed in a five-star hotel during our vacation.
  • My neighbor has a blue-eyed cat.
  • He gave me some last-minute advice before the test.
  • The high-speed train will get us there faster.
  • Graduating was a bitter-sweet moment because I was excited but also sad to leave my friends.
  • She is a strong-willed leader who doesn’t give up easily.
  • The chef made a mouth-watering dessert that everyone loved.
  • My cousin has a ten-year-old dog that still acts like a puppy.
  • This cake is sugar-free, so it’s perfect for people on a diet.
  • The interview was much better prepared than I had expected.
  • They live in a middle-class neighborhood with good schools.
  • Her friend gave her well-thought-out advice.
  • He has a state-of-the-art computer in his office.
  • The documentary about the rainforest was eye-opening and very informative.
  • The task seemed impossible to complete, but they managed it anyway.
  • After a long day, they were completely worn out from all the work.