Sense Words

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Sense words are words that relate to one or more of the five senses: hearing, touching, tasting, smelling, and seeing. Many of them can be
adjectives, but they can also act as verbs, adverbs, and other parts of speech, depending on how they are used in a sentence.

Words are the tools of a writer. The more words he or she is able to command, the better the writing can be. Some of the most important
tools for the writer are sense words that help to focus images and actions. For example, the following description of a lake shore is from a
book by Marilynne Robinson titled Housekeeping. Notice how the writer uses a combination of sound, touch, smell and sight words to help
the reader imagine the scene.

Some of these stones were a mossy and vegetable green, and some were as white as bits of tooth, and some of them were hazel,
and some of them looked like rock candy. Farther up the beach were tufts of grasses from the year before and leafless vines,
and sodden leaves and broken ferns, and the black, dull, musky, dormant woods. The lake was full of quiet waves, and smelled
cold, and smelled of fish.@

Sound Words: Sound words appeal mainly to the sense of hearing. Notice that many of the sound words in the following list are verb
forms that end in ing. In such a form, words usually function as adjectives, adverbs, or parts of verbs.

banging cracking hushing rapping snarling

barking crashing jangling rasping snoring
bawling croaking jingling rattling stuttering
belching crunching laughing ringing tapping
blaring crying moaning ripping tearing
booming dripping mooing rumbling tinkling
burping exploding mumbling rustling thudding
buzzing fizzing murmuring scratching thumping
chattering gagging muttering screaming ticking
chiming gasping noisy screeching twittering
chirping giggling peeping singing warbling
clanging grating piercing slamming wheezing
clapping growling pinging shouting whimpering
clicking grunting plopping silent whining
clinking gurgling popping splashing whispering
cooing hissing quacking squawking whizzing
coughing honking quiet snapping whooping

Taste and Smell Words are words relating to taste and smell. Often, they can apply to both senses. For this reason, they are
combined here. Read over the list, noting the words that you don’t know.
Acid doughy mellow pungent spicy
acidic earthy mildewed putrid spoiled
acrid fishy minty rancid stagnant
alkaline floury moist rank stale
aromatic flowery moldy raw sugary
biting fresh musky rich sweaty
bitter fruity musty rotten sweet
bland gamey oily rubbery tangy
burnt garlicky perfumed salty tasteless
buttery hearty pickled scented tough
cold hot piney sharp vile
crisp lemony plastic sour vinegary
crusty medicinal
Touch Words:
Touch words suggest the sense of touch or texture. Read over the list of touch words, noting the ones you don’t know.

Abrasive feathery knobbed sandy spongy

biting fine lacy scalding steamy
boiling fluffy leathery scorching steely
bubbly foamy light scratchy sticky
bulky freezing lukewarm scummy stifled
bumpy furry matted shaggy stinging
burning fuzzy metallic sharp stony
bushy glassy moist silky stubby
clammy gluey mushy slick tangled
coarse grainy numbing slimy tender
cool greasy oily slippery tepid
cottony gritty piercing sloppy thick
crisp gushy plastic smooth tickling
cushioned hairy pocked smothering tough
damp hard pointed soapy velvety
downy heavy prickly soft warm
drenched hot pulpy sopping waxy
dripping humid rocky soupy wet
dry icy rough spiky wiry
dusty keen rubbery splintered woolly

Sight Words
Relate mainly to seeing. Read over the list of sight words, noting the words with which you are unfamiliar.

Angular dull hideous pale splintered

ashen dusty huge pocked spongy
attractive elegant immense pointed spotted
beautiful feathery jutting powdered square
boiling fiery keen prickly steamy
bright fine knobbed pulpy stubbly
brilliant flat lacy rocky stunning
bubbling fluffy large rough swollen
bulky flushed lean round tall
bumpy foamy leathery ruffled tangled
burning foggy light sandy thick
bushy fragile lit scummy thin
clean furry long shaggy tidy
clear fuzzy lopsided sharp translucent
cluttered gigantic lovely shimmering transparent
coarse glassy matted shiny twinkling
colorless glimmering messy short ugly
curved gorgeous metallic silky wavy
dark grainy muddy slick waxy
dazzling graceful muscular slimy wet
dim greasy mushy small wide
dotted hairy narrow smooth wiry
downy handsome neat sooty wrinkled
drenched hard nondescript sparking woolly
dripping hazy oily spiky Saved C: Sense Words