Do you have an elderly male character in your novel? Are you currently thinking about what features to give to this person? Here are 10 words to describe an old man’s face to help you.
1. Wrinkled
Definition
Bearing wrinkles; ridges or furrows on the skin that generally form with age.
Examples
“Although his eyes were bright and engaged, his wrinkled face gave away his true age.”
“The man’s face was wrinkled and his smile was welcoming—she felt she could trust him immediately.”
How It Adds Description
As people they older, they get more and more wrinkles on their faces. You can describe the old man in your story as being particularly wrinkled if he’s very old. This will show readers without needing to state outright that the character you’re describing isn’t a young person.
2. Graying
Definition
Turning gray; having grey hair.
Examples
“The man was old and graying with wisps of white hair.”
“Although he moved around efficiently, he could tell the man was old, especially because of his graying face.”
How It Adds Description
Along with gaining more wrinkles, people who get older also tend to have hair that turns gray or white. Perhaps the old man you are describing has a head full of gray hair, or maybe he has a big gray beard. Either way, you can describe his face as graying to help emphasize his age.
3. Dull
Definition
Lacking in brilliance; slow in perception.
Examples
“She was speaking directly to him, but his face remained dull and impassive.”
“His face was dull and aged, but when she asked him questions later, he was perfectly responsive and remembered everything that had happened.”
How It Adds Description
If someone’s face is dull, then that can help to show readers that the person you are describing lacks youth and enthusiasm. If you want to surprise your reader, you can describe an old man’s face as being dull and uninterested and later in the story have the old man take up a pivotal role and act much more involved.
4. Vapid
Definition
Lacking in energy or spirit; uninteresting.
Examples
“The old man’s vapid expression made her think that he must not care about what was going on around him.”
“At first, he seemed distant and vapid, but the more they all spoke to him, the more they realized that he was extremely aware and intelligent.”
How It Adds Description
If the old man you are describing is perhaps going a bit senile, then you can describe his face and expression as vapid. This will tell readers that mentally, he may not be entirely present.
5. Tired
Definition
Having no energy or strength; worn.
Examples
“The man in front of them had a tired look on his face, and he seemed unwilling to move very much.”
“The tired old man in front of her wasn’t very responsive.”
How It Adds Description
The word tired doesn’t just have to refer to a person’s physical state. When people are young, their expressions tend to be quite vibrant and excited. Older people, on the other hand, may appear perpetually tired. You can use this word to describe how old your character looks as well as to describe his general personality.
6. Sparkling
Definition
Examples
“The man was so old he could hardly walk or move at all, but his sparkling expression told of his internal youth.”
“He sat in a wheelchair in the corner of the room, and she would have almost missed him entirely if not for his sparkling eyes.”
How It Adds Description
This is a very fun word to use, as you can use it to subvert your readers’ expectations. The man in your story may be quite old, but if you describe some features of his face like his eyes as sparkling, this shows an inner youth that he may have.
7. Wizened
Definition
Dried or shrunken, often with age; failing vitality.
Examples
“She took note of the man’s wizened face, which over many years had become tired and wrinkled.”
“Although his face was wizened, his mind was sharp, and he still remembered specifics of the event even all those years later.”
How It Adds Description
If the old man in your story appears particularly old or wrinkled, then describing his face as wizened can demonstrate that to your readers. It can help show readers that the old man may be very near the end of his life.
8. Scruffy
Definition
Unkempt; not well maintained or cared for; messy.
Examples
“The man had not shaved his face in a long time, and his patchy, scruffy beard was proof of that.”
“Although his face was scruffy, he was well-dressed which made him presentable enough for the event.”
How It Adds Description
As people get older, they may find it more and more difficult to perform personal grooming tasks. This can lead to things like an overall unkempt appearance. Using this word to describe the old man in the story will demonstrate that he may not be as good at maintaining his appearance as he once was.
9. World-Weary
Definition
Demonstrating boredom or fatigue at material pleasures or other aspects of the world.
Examples
“His world-weary expression made her hesitant to try talking to him.”
“He had seen many things in his life, but his world-weary appearance made him seem unenthusiastic about his adventures.”
How It Adds Description
The old man in your story may have seen many things in his life, and at this point, he may find the world boring because of it. If that’s the case, world-weary is a great word to use to describe the way he looks.
10. Jaded
Definition
Overworked or exhausted to the point of fatigue; apathetic or cynical because of past experiences.
Examples
“His eyes were jaded by the knowledge he held and the many experiences that came with old age.”
“The old man appeared jaded at first, but the more she spoke to him, the more he began to open up and tell more stories about his youth.”
How It Adds Description
When someone has many experiences, especially negative ones, they can become jaded and unhappy with the world. This makes it a great word to describe someone who is old and who has been through many difficult things.