There are many descriptive words that begin with the letter K. Going through all them can become overwhelming. That’s why we’ve selected 10 words beginning with K and have explained how you can use them in your writing.
1. Keen
Definition
Eager to start or do something; intelligent or intellectually drawn; very perceptive.
Examples
“The dishes still had to be done, but she was most keen to start on the laundry because then she could wear her new dress.”
“While he was strange, he had a keen mind, which made him perfect for the task at hand.”
“The hawk’s keen eye quickly picked up the movements of the mouse in the grass.”
How It Adds Description
This is a great word to use if your character is especially excited to do something. You can also use it to describe a character you have that is very intelligent or picks up quickly on small things.
2. Kin
Definition
A person’s relatives or ancestors.
Examples
“The next step after taking the body away was the find the deceased’s next of kin.”
“Although they weren’t related by blood, they felt like kin to each other, and either one would have done anything for the other.”
How It Adds Description
Describing a character as another character’s kin is a quick and easy way to show a family relation. However, you can also use the word to indicate a closeness between characters that may not be technically familial, but feels that way to the two of them.
3. Klutzy
Definition
Someone who is klutzy is clumsy.
Examples
“The work required a delicate touch, which meant someone as klutzy as she was would do well to avoid it.”
“She tripped, cursed herself for being so klutzy, and then continued on her way.”
How It Adds Description
Using the word klutzy is a great way to show your readers that you have a character who may be especially clumsy. A klutzy character can also help move things along in a story; for instance, they might knock something over while trying to hide, drawing the antagonist’s attention to them.
4. Knavish
Definition
Characteristic of a knave; deceitful or dishonest.
Examples
“Although the man in front of them seemed to be telling the truth, there was something knavish about him, and she doubted that he was being entirely honest.”
How It Adds Description
If you introduce a character in your story who is dishonest or may betray another character later, you can use the word knavish to describe them. This will indicate to readers that neither they nor your other characters should trust the person the word is describing.
5. Kooky
Definition
Characteristic of a kook; strange or offbeat; eccentric.
Examples
“He liked hanging out with her, even though she was so kooky.”
“The house was decorated in bright colors and held an array of strange knick-knacks and items to match her kooky personality.”
How It Adds Description
Do you have a character in your story who is especially strange? Kooky is a great way to describe them, as it indicates that a character is marching to the beat of their own drum, usually in a way that’s completely harmless. Readers will understand that this is someone who strays away from the norms.
6. Kindred
Definition
Similar in nature to something or someone else; alike in some way; coming from the same ancestry; a person’s relatives.
Examples
“Although he was angry with them, they were his kindred and he could never abandon them.”
“The moment they met, he sensed that they were kindred spirits, and their similar personalities meant that they got along well.”
How It Adds Description
Two characters who are very similar to each other could be described as kindred. You can use this word to quickly indicate closeness between them. You can also use it to show that certain characters are related to each other.
7. Key
Definition
An instrument used to open something, usually a locking mechanism; a deciding factor; something that is required to perform another task; a style or tone that is characteristic of a particular thing or person.
Examples
“The key to their success was somewhere within the pages of the book.”
“Finding the old woman’s journal was a key part of the investigation.”
How It Adds Description
Because the word key has so many different definitions, you can use it in a myriad of ways in your story. It’s a particularly flexible word and can show that something may be particularly important to your characters or narrative.
8. Kingly
Definition
Characteristic of a king; ranking high in a hierarchy.
Examples
“His kingly nature demanded that everyone treat him with the highest respect.”
“Although she didn’t know exactly what it meant, she recognized how kingly the design seemed.”
How It Adds Description
You can use the word kingly to describe that someone or something in your story could either actually be related to a king or to royalty, or that it just seems like it is. Readers will get the sense that whatever or whoever you’re describing as kingly should be held in high regard.
9. Knackered
Definition
Exhausted or tired, most commonly used in Britain.
Examples
“They had invited her to go out that night, but she was so knackered from her busy day that she opted to stay home.”
“The pilot was absolutely knackered, so he took a nap before they flew.”
How It Adds Description
The word knackered has an intensity that the word tired may lack. So, if you have a character who’s especially exhausted, you can use this word to describe their state of being and infer how tired they really are.
10. Knockout
Definition
Causing a knockout; something or someone that is exceptionally beautiful or attractive.
Examples
“She wore a knockout dress that evening, and no one could keep their eyes off her.”
“He toyed with the young man for a long time before finally delivering the knockout blow.”
How It Adds Description
If a character is fighting with another, you can use the word knockout to describe what is literally happening if one knocks the other unconscious. You can also use it to describe something that is so intensely beautiful that it makes one feel like they are being knocked out to look at it. Additionally, shocking news that your characters receive could be described as knockout.