100+ Negative Words That Start With A (With Definition)

Embarking on an alphabetic exploration of the English language’s darker corners, we uncover our list of negative words that start with A.

Each word is also accompanied by its definition to make it convenient for you.

Whether you’ve just embarked on your development journey into the English language or you’re someone who loves exploring new words, this piece is for you.

100+ Negative Words That Start With A

1. Abhorrent – The intense feeling of disgust or hatred towards something, making it unbearable to witness or endure. Similar to “abhorrence,” which is the state of detesting something deeply.
2. Acrimonious – Describes a situation or speech filled with bitterness and sharpness, leading to harsh and often hurtful exchanges. “Acrimony” refers to the bitterness itself in relationships or discussions.
3. Adversarial – Pertaining to opposition or conflict, often highlighting a competitive or confrontational relationship. “Adversary” is another term used to describe an opponent in such a situation.
4. Afflictive – Causes distress or suffering, bringing about pain or hardship in a profound way. It’s closely related to “affliction,” which is the state or experience of being afflicted.
5. Aggravating – Making a situation worse or more serious, often leading to increased irritation or annoyance. “Aggravation” refers to the process or result of aggravating circumstances.
6. Alarming – Provoking fear, surprise, or worry through unexpected or concerning events. “Alarm” can also be used to describe the sudden awareness of danger.
7. Aloof – A state of being distant or detached, showing a lack of interest or warmth in interactions with others. “Aloofness” captures the quality or state of being aloof.
8. Ambiguous – Lacking clarity or certainty, leading to confusion or misunderstanding due to multiple interpretations. “Ambiguity” refers to the quality of being open to more than one interpretation.
9. Antagonistic – Actively hostile or opposed, creating an environment of tension and conflict. “Antagonism” denotes the active resistance or opposition between conflicting forces.
10. Arduous – Involving strenuous effort; extremely challenging or difficult, requiring significant dedication and hard work. “Ardor” is often used to describe a passionate intensity that might be needed to overcome arduous tasks.
11. Asinine – Extremely foolish or lacking sense, akin to decisions that defy logic. “Asininity” encapsulates the essence of being utterly foolish.
12. Apathy – Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern, a state of indifference.
13. Apathetic – Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern, indicates a lack of engagement or passion.
14. Astounding – Usually positive, but negatively, it can describe something shockingly bad or unexpectedly disappointing.
15. Atrocity – refers to an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury.
16. Atrocious – Inferior quality; extremely bad or unpleasant, evoking horror or revulsion.
17. Audacious – In a negative light, it reflects reckless daring without regard for safety or appropriateness. “Audacity” can describe the boldness or daring, often with a negative connotation of disregard for norms or propriety.
18. Avarice – an insatiable desire for wealth itself.
19. Avaricious – Having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain, like a hunger that can never be satisfied.
20. Abyssal – Pertaining to or suggesting an abyss, indicating profound depth of darkness or hopelessness.
21. Accursed – Under a curse or seeming as if cursed, plagued by bad luck or unpleasant outcomes. “Curse” being the root of misfortune here.
22. Acerbic – Sharp and forthright in a way that can be cutting or hurtful, often leaving a sting of truth. “Acerbity” refers to the bitterness or sharpness of manner.
23. Acidic – Here, metaphorically sour or biting in speech or temperament, leaving a harsh aftertaste in interactions.
24. Acquisitive – Excessively interested in acquiring money or material things, to the point of being greedy. “Acquisition” is the act of acquiring, often used in a neutral context but negative when it implies greed.
25. Adamant – Refusing to be persuaded or to change one’s mind, often to the point of obstinacy. “Adamance” is the quality of being unyielding.
26. Admonitory – Giving or conveying a warning or reprimand, often perceived negatively due to its critical nature. “Admonition” is the act of admonishing.
27. Adulterate – To make something poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically an inferior one. “Adulteration” is the act or process of adulterating.
28. Affective – Relating to moods, feelings, and attitudes in a negative context, it can denote being overly emotional or sentimentally biased. “Affectation” is an artificial display of emotion or behaviour.
29. Affront – An action or remark that causes outrage or offence, often deliberate. “Affronted” describes the state of being insulted or offended.
30. Agitated – Feeling or appearing troubled or nervous, like a turbulent sea. “Agitation” is the state of agitation or nervousness.
31. Aimless – Without purpose or direction, like a leaf blown by the wind.
32. Aimlessness – is the state of lacking goals or direction.
33. Alarmist – Prone to causing unnecessary fear or alarm, often seen as spreading undue panic. “Alarmism” is the excessive or exaggerated alarm about a real or imagined threat.
34. Allegorical – In a negative sense, it can suggest a tendency to convey messages so cryptically that they obscure understanding rather than enlighten.
35. Ambivalent – Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone, leading to indecision or confusion.
36. Ambivalence – the state of experiencing conflicting attitudes.
37. Amoral – Lacking a moral sense; unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something. “Amorality” refers to the absence of, indifference towards, or recognition of moral standards.
38. Anarchic – Lacking order or control, in a negative context, suggesting chaos or disorder. “Anarchy” is a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority.
39. Angst-ridden – Filled with deep anxiety or dread, typically about the human condition or the state of society in a general sense. “Angst” is a feeling of deep anxiety or dread.
40. Animosity – Strong hostility or opposition towards someone or something, often resulting from bad feelings or past disputes.
41. Anomalous – Deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected, often implying a sense of irregularity or unpredictability. “Anomaly” is something that deviates from the norm or expectations.
42. Antipathetic – Feeling or showing a strong aversion or dislike. “Antipathy” is a deep-seated feeling of dislike.
44. Apocalyptic – Predicting or presaging imminent disaster and total or universal destruction, often used to describe scenarios of catastrophic end.
45. Appalling – Causing shock or dismay, extremely bad or unpleasant to the degree that it horrifies.
46. Arbitrary – Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system, often leading to perceptions of unfairness.
47. Arcane – Known or understood by only a few; mysterious or secret, and in a negative context, it suggests knowledge that is unnecessarily obscure or hidden.
48. Arid – Lacking in interest, excitement, or meaning, metaphorically describing conversations, places, or even periods in life that are devoid of vitality.
49. Astringent – Harsh or severe in manner or attitude, like an effective but unpleasant remedy. Similar to the puckering effect of an astringent substance but applied to social interactions or personalities.
50. Atrophy – Gradual decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect, often used to describe muscles, skills, or even relationships.
51. Attenuate – To reduce in force, effect, or value, akin to diluting a drink so much that it loses its original flavour.
52. Audacious – Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks often seen as reckless or disrespectful.
53. Augmentative – Inclined to increase or make something greater, but in a negative context, it can suggest exaggeration or unnecessary amplification that distorts truth.
54. Austere – Severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance, often to the point of being harsh or unapproachable.
55. Autocratic – Exercising control or authority in a domineering way, without considering others’ opinions or welfare.
56. Aversive – Causing strong dislike or aversion, similar to an unpleasant taste that makes one recoil.
57. Awkward – Lacking grace or ease in movement or manner, making social interactions painfully uncomfortable.
58. Abject – Experienced to the maximum degree, often referring to situations of degradation or misery that seem beyond escape.
59. Abortive – Failing to achieve the intended outcome, leaving a sense of incompleteness and frustration.
60. Abrasive – Showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh or corrosive in tone.
61. Abstruse – Difficult to understand; obscure, requiring specialized knowledge to grasp fully.
62. Absurd – Wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate, often to the point of being laughable.
63. Accost – To approach and address someone boldly or aggressively, often unwelcome.
64. Acerbity – Sharpness and directness in speech, sometimes crossing into bitterness.
65. Achilles’ heel – A weakness or vulnerable point in an otherwise strong or formidable entity.
66. Acrid – Unpleasantly bitter or pungent in taste or smell, often causing a stinging sensation.
67. Actuate – To motivate or influence someone to act, but negatively, it can imply manipulation or undue pressure.
68. Adamantine – Unbreakable, inflexible, and resistant to change, often to a fault.
69. Addle – To confuse someone, making it difficult to think clearly or make decisions.
70. Adjudicate – To make a formal judgment or decision, but in a negative sense, it can imply a judgment that is perceived as unfair or biased.
71. Adrift – Lacking direction, purpose, or guidance, akin to a ship lost at sea.
72. Adulterous – Involved in adultery, betraying a commitment or trust within a relationship.
73. Adverse – Preventing success or development; harmful or unfavourable.
74. Adversity – State of hardship or misfortune, testing resilience and strength in challenging times.
75. Affliction – A state of pain, distress, or grief; a condition that causes suffering.
76. Aggrandize – To increase the power, status, or wealth of, but in a negative context, it suggests doing so through deceit or manipulation.
77. Aggregate – A whole formed by combining several elements, but negatively, it can imply a mass that lacks coherence or unity.
78. Aggrieve – To make someone feel bitter, distressed, or wronged, often unjustly.
79. Aghast – Struck with horror, shock, or amazement, typically at something unexpected.
80. Allege – To claim something is true without providing evidence, often casting doubt on the claim’s validity.
81. Ambush – A surprise attack by people lying in wait, indicative of deceit and treachery.
82. Amendatory – Intended to make corrections or improvements but can suggest that the original was significantly flawed or inadequate.
83. Anathema – Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes, a curse.
84. Anguish – Severe mental or physical pain or suffering, deeply distressing.
85. Animus – Strong hostility or enmity, harboring ill will.
86. Anomie – A lack of social norms, leading to a breakdown in the connection between an individual and their community.
87. Antediluvian – Ridiculously old-fashioned or outdated, literally before the flood.
88. Antipathy – A deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion.
89. Apocryphal – Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
90. Apprehensive – Anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
91. Arid – Lacking in interest, excitement, or meaning; extremely dry.
92. Artifice – Clever or cunning devices used to deceive others; trickery.
93. Ascetic – Practicing strict self-denial as a measure of personal and especially spiritual discipline, often perceived as excessively austere or harsh.
94. Aspersion – An attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something.
95. Asperity – Harsh tone or manner, reflecting a bitter or severe attitude.
96. Astigmatic – Not seeing things clearly, leading to misunderstandings or flawed perceptions.
97. Asunder – Torn into parts, symbolizing relationships or entities broken apart.
98. Atheistic – Rejecting the belief in deities in contexts where faith is deemed vital, it suggests a void of spiritual values.
99. Atoll – Metaphorically, isolated or circumscribed, hinting at loneliness or confinement within narrow limits.
100. Attrition – A gradual reduction or weakening, often referring to the slow diminishment of resources or resolve.
101. Augury – An omen or portent, typically one foreboding negative outcomes.
102. Austerity – Severe and rigid restrictions, especially in economic contexts, suggesting a harshness that impacts well-being.
103. Authenticity – While generally positive, in negative usage, it suggests an imposed quest for genuineness that can lead to pretension or inauthentic behaviour under scrutiny.
104. Autopsy – Beyond its medical meaning, it implies a morbid and invasive examination, metaphorically applied to situations where analysis is excessively critical or destructive.
105. Avalanche – A sudden, overwhelming force, used to describe situations or problems that escalate rapidly and uncontrollably.
106. Avatar – In a negative light, representing an idealized or false identity, especially in digital contexts, suggesting deception or escapism.
107. Aversion – A strong dislike or disinclination towards something, often instinctive or deep-seated.
108. Avidity – Extreme eagerness or greed, to the point of being detrimental or overwhelming.
109. Awry – Gone off course, typically leading to unexpected and undesirable outcomes.
110. Axial – Central and crucial, yet in a negative context, suggesting rigidity or inflexibility that may hinder adaptation or progress.
111. Azure – While often positive for its association with the beauty of a clear sky, negatively, it can symbolize unreachable or unrealistic ideals, akin to “chasing the blue sky.”

Negative Adjectives Starting with ‘A’ to Describe a Person

Just as positive words can show someone in a good light, negative words can give us a contrasting image. Adjectives like abrasive or aggressive describe a person in a less than favourable way, helping listeners or readers form a mental picture.

Here are 20 negative adjectives starting with the letter “A” that you can use to describe a person:

• Abrasive
• Abrupt
• Absurd
• Abusive
• Accursed
• Acerbic
• Acrid
• Adamant
• Adverse
• Afflicted
• Aggressive
• Agonizing
• Aimless
• Alarmist
• Aloof
• Amateurish
• Ambiguous
• Ambivalent
• Amoral
• Angry

Examples:

• “His abrasive nature often rubbed people the wrong way.”
• “Her aggressive behaviour at work did not sit well with her colleagues.”

Describing Places and Situations Using Negative Words

For example, “The abandoned house had an eerie, alien atmosphere,” or “The agitated sea warned of an approaching storm.”