How to Use the Suffix -NESS (Real examples + PDF)

I’m always searching for ways to help my private students improve their communication skills. Learning how to use the English suffix -OUS is a great way to increase your English vocabulary.

The English suffix ~OUS is added to the end of nouns and verbs to change them into . The new adjectives will have the nature or quality of the root word.

Increase your vocabulary by learning the English suffix ~OUS. Turn nouns and verbs that you already know into adjectives by adding the suffix OUS to the end of the word.

Table of Contents

A few years ago I read a story about some dangerous ants that were found in an ocean port in Tokyo. These ants are called ‘fire ants’ and they are poisonous.

I thought this story would be a great way to introduce the English suffix – OUS to my students, and now I want to help the English students around the world who read my blog.

From this news story, we used 2 adjectives with the suffix ~ous. Dangerous and poisonous.

dangerous – likely to injure or harm somebody, or to damage or destroy something

poisonous – causing death or illness if swallowed or absorbed into the body(All definitions in this post come from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries)

-ous suffix (in adjectives)having the nature or quality of-ous suffix Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

A simple way to think of these 2 is to look at the , this means the part of the word that comes before the suffix ous.

(ous) If a situation has danger it is dangerous. (ous) If something has poison it is poisonous.

More examples

Adjectives with the suffix ~ous have this basic meaning.

adventurous – (of a person) willing to take risks and try new ideas; enjoying being in new, exciting situations ~ ready for adventure

famous – known about by many people~ A famous person is someone who has fame.

More English suffix -ous examples:

If something is full of joy we can call it joyous.

If something happened that seems like a miracle, or was completely unexpected and very lucky we can use the adjective miraculous to describe it.

Over 40 more adjectives with the suffix ~OUS

The meanings listed below came from a Google Search showing Definitions from Oxford Languages or from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries.

A synonym of dangerous is hazardous (from the noun hazard)

A synonym of poisonous is venomous (from the noun venom)

Some other versions of famous are

More examples – Verbs to Adjectives (Suffix ~OUS)

continuous (from the verb continue)

infectious (from the verb infect)

prosperous (from the verb prosper)

ridiculous (from the verb ridicule)

various (from the verb vary)

More examples – Nouns to Adjectives (Suffix ~OUS)

numerous (from the noun number)

Do a deep dive into this vocabulary at my post Much Many and A Lot (Video – Quiz – Free PDF)

nervous (from the noun nerve)

suspicious (from the noun suspicion)

mysterious (from the noun mystery)

furious (from the noun fury)

disastrous (from the noun disaster)

cautious (from the noun caution)

glorious (from the noun Glory)

vigorous (from the noun vigor)

nutritious (from the noun nutrition)

spacious (from the noun space)

outrageous (from the noun outrage)

glamorous (from the noun glamour)

luxurious (from the noun luxury)

humorous (from the noun humor)

gracious (from the noun grace)

synonymous (from the noun synonym)

mischievous (from the noun mischief)

rebellious (from the noun rebellion)

laborious (from the noun labor)

superstitious (from the noun superstition)

tortuous (from the noun torture)

industrious (from the noun industry)

advantageous (from the noun advantage)

treacherous (from the noun treachery)

courageous (from the noun courage)

malicious (from the noun malice)

monstrous (from the noun monster)

ferocious (from the noun ferocity)

victorious (from the noun victory)

harmonious (from the noun harmony)

These words came from a list I found with 1000 words that end with ~OUS. Not all the words can easily fit with the noun/verb root word to make a new . Some words are hard to find what the real root is, but they’re all still adjectives. You can find that list here.

Below are three examples of words whose meanings you can imagine but don’t clearly stem from the original root word.

horrendous (from the noun horror)?

luscious (from the noun lush)?

instantaneous (from the noun instantaneity)?

What does thunderous sound mean?

The adjective thunderous comes from adding the suffix -OUS to the noun thunder. It means very loud. SOURCE

Thunderous sound is used to talk about noises that are very loud.

The adjective thunderous is often used with other nouns about sound. A very common combination is thunderous applause.

applause noun ​the noise made by a group of people clapping their hands and sometimes shouting to show their approval or pleasure SOURCE

Suffix ~OUS Vocab List PDF (free!)

Download your FREE suffix ~OUS vocab list from the link below. ↓

Special thanks to SpellZone for giving me example ideas for this blog post.https://www.spellzone.com/word_lists/list.cfm?wordlist=122

A suffix is an addition to the end of a word, that gives the word a new meaning. They are an easy way to increase and I love to teach them to my students. The suffix EN was a fun topic to research and an interesting blog post to write.

The suffix EN changes nouns and adjectives into verbs. (the noun length becomes the verb lengthen; the adjective short becomes the verb shorten) It can also be used to change nouns to adjectives. (the noun wood becomes the adjective wooden)

Start using this suffix to increase your English vocabulary today. Learn with lots of real suffix EN examples, a video, and a free PDF download.

en is an example of an English suffix. If we know the root word and the function of the suffix, we can easily increase our vocabulary. Let’s use the noun length for our first example:

length (noun) means – the size or measurement of something from one end to the other (how long something is)

One function of the English suffix en is to change adjectives or nouns into verbs.lengthen (verb) means – to make longer

long Different word forms:

long – adverb (used with time)

long shot – idiom = something is unlikely

As I said above, one of the functions of the English suffix en is to change adjectives or nouns into verbs.Be careful. The opposite of lengthen is shorten. Short is an adjective and length is a noun.

shorten (verb) means – to make shorter

Suffix EN examples (Nouns to Verbs)

Suffix EN examples (Adjectives to Verbs)

sweeten – to make sweet

Learn even more about the word sweeten at my Root Word technique blog post.

brighten – to make bright

shorten – to make shorter

Verbs with the Suffix EN (Word list)

awaken – to rouse from sleep or to become aware of something

・The magician cast a spell to awaken the sleeping dragon.

Dragon Idioms – 8 Common uses (Real example sentences)

blacken – to make something dark or to tarnish someone’s reputation

・The beautiful white patio stones in my backyard were blackened after the fire.

dampen – to make something wet or to suppress something’s strength or spirit

・The rain will dampen the fire if we don’t cover it.

darken – to make something dark or to become gloomy

・Let’s close the curtains and darken the room before we start the movie.

deafen – to make someone unable to hear or to be extremely loud

・The explosion was deafening.

deepen – to make something deeper or to intensify an emotion or a relationship

・The water is shallow now but it will deepen as we get closer to the center of the lake.

enlighten – to provide knowledge or understanding to someone or to make something brighter

・A teacher’s job is to inform and enlighten their students.

fatten – to make something or someone fat or to become fat

flatten – to make something flat or to destroy someone’s hopes or expectations

・The hills will flatten out as we get closer to the coast.

frighten – to cause fear or to scare someone

・The horror movie may frighten you if you watch it alone. I recommend watching it with a friend.

harden – to make something hard or to become tough

・We need to wait 30 minutes for the glue to harden before we can hang the frame.

lessen – to reduce or to become smaller

・Taking a break every once in a while will lessen your stress.

lighten – to make something lighter or to alleviate someone’s worries or mood

・The sun will lighten your hair if you stay outside for a long time.

loosen – to make something loose or to become relaxed

・To loosen the screws you need to turn them counterclockwise.

moisten – to make something slightly wet or damp

・Kelly moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

redden – to make something red or to blush

ripen – to become mature or fully developed, as in fruits or ideas

・The bananas are hard and green now but they will ripen if you leave them out for a few days.

sadden – to cause sadness or to become sad

・George was saddened by the passing of his father.

sharpen – to make something sharp or to improve someone’s skills or intellect

・A good butcher will sharpen his knives often.

soften – to make something soft or to become less severe

・The butter will soften if you leave it out of the fridge for a while.

stiffen – to make something stiff or to become rigid

・Your muscles will stiffen if you don’t stretch after exercise.

straighten – to make something straight or to correct a situation

・Your hair will straighten if you use a flat iron.

strengthen – to make something strong or to reinforce someone’s ability

・Doing push-ups will strengthen your chest and shoulders.

thicken – to make something thick or to become more dense

・Adding flour will thicken the sauce.

threaten – to pose a danger or to intimidate someone

・The approaching hurricane will threaten the safety of the beach.

tighten – to make something tight or to become more secure

・To tighten the bolt need to turn it clockwise.

weaken – to make something weak or to lose strength

・Not getting enough sleep will weaken your immune system.

widen – to make something wide or to increase the distance between two things

・The road will widen as we get closer to the city.

whiten – to make something white or to become pale

・Bleaching your clothes will whiten them but it also shortens their life.

worsen – to make something worse or to deteriorate

・This heavy rain will worsen the traffic on the highway.

Suffix EN examples (Nouns to Adjectives)

Another use for the English suffix EN is to change nouns to adjectives.

a suffix used to form adjectives of source or material from nouns

Adjectives made from material nouns with the adjective EN used to be more common in older English.For example in William Shakespeare’s play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ we can find the quote:

This line is an insult to the clothing of one of the characters. – Your clothes look like you made them yourself out of hemp. (hempen)

*Hemp is a plant that has been used to make paper, rope, textiles, clothing, and more for thousands of years. (LINK)

We no longer use the word hempen. Hemp is used as an adjective now by itself without the suffix EN.

Another Shakespeare story used the term wheaten wreath to mean a wreath made of wheat.

Source – The historical development of the suffix -en in English

The adjective wheaten is no longer used.

wreath – an arrangement of flowers and leaves, especially in the shape of a circle

Suffix EN Adjective examples

*Note – ashen and flaxen are used to describe a color. They do not mean made of ash or made of flax.

The adjectives I hear and use most often are wooden and golden.

wooden – made of wood

Golden can mean gold-colored.

or made of gold

Golden – Suffix Example

Golden is an adjective that can mean something is very good or valuable.

* Gold is a precious metal so things made of gold have value, they are expensive.

How we use this adjective is a little different so let me explain with some examples.

Another good example is when we have a good chance to do something. We call it a golden opportunity.

Another example is an American boxing competition called the Golden Gloves. Golden Glove boxing competitions happen across the country.

Usually, boxing gloves are not made of gold, so gloves that are golden are very special. Golden gloves show that the boxers are very skilled.

Gold is connected with the top position. If you finish in first place in an event or competition you receive a gold medal.Even though we don’t say “golden medal” this may explain why golden has a special meaning.

We don’t see the suffix EN added to other materials like silver (silveren) or bronze (bronzen). They are missing the importance of being the best.

EN Suffix FAQ Should I say Gold or Golden?

Gold is a noun that can also be used as an adjective to mean made of gold.A gold watch. A gold necklace.Golden is an adjective that can be used to mean made of gold but is also used with non-material items to mean great or valuable.A golden opportunity. The Golden Age of rock and roll.

If something is commonly made from gold, like a ring or a necklace, it’s common to just use gold as an adjective to mean made of gold.

EN Suffix Words – Past Participles

Some verbs use the suffix EN to make their past participle form.

Someone has broken my iPhone. (We use the past perfect tense with the verb have/has)

My iPhone was broken. (We use the passive voice with a past tense form of the verb to be. WAS/WERE)

EN Suffix Words – Plural Nouns

We can use the suffix EN to make the plural of some nouns:

*These are the only 3 examples I can find. Children is the most common of these 3 words. Brethren is not very common (I never use it) and I also don’t have many opportunities to talk about ox.

‘Children‘ is a common plural form.

These plural nouns are leftover words used in an early version of English. Many English words came from German.

Suffix EN free PDF Word List

Download this blog post as a printable PDF e-guide. Study anytime, even offline.

Below you will see a chart of English language word roots that
are common prefixes and suffixes to base words. (This list is similar
to that which appeared previously on this site.)

This list is a small portion of our 2,000 word root database which you can
search using our root search engine.

You might have often wondered how certain small words occasionally appear in a lot of bigger words. The smaller words from which new words are formed are known as roots. In English Grammar, a root refers to a word or word element from which other words are formed, usually by adding prefixes and suffixes. Roots are also known by the name root words.

Root Words in English have their basic roots in Greek and Latin language. It is from root words that new words are shaped. This happens through the addition of a prefix or suffix. So what are prefixes and suffixes?

Affix refers to a string of letters that is added at the start or end of a word. Now let’s see how root words work in English. Have you ever heard of the word ‘Archy’ which means rule? The root word ‘archy’ forms new words with the addition of suffixes and prefixes. Examples include:

From the above example, it’s pretty clear that English root words can be a powerful method to learn multiple English Vocabulary Words at the same time.

1. Root Word: logy

Meaning: a study of something

Words: anthropology, zoology, theology

2. Root Word: cert

Words: certain, certainly, certified

3. Root Word: max

Words: maximum, maximise, maxima

4. Root Word: min

Words: minimal, minimize

5. Root Word: poly

Words: Polygamy, Polyglot

6. Root word: legal
Meaning: relating to the law
Words: Illegal, legalities

7. Root word: meter
Meaning: measure or quantity
Words: millimeter, thermometer, kilometers

8. Root word: norm
Meaning: typical or standard
Words: abnormal, normal, normality

9. Root word: phobia
Meaning: fear
Words: claustrophobia, hydrophobia

10. Root word: act
Meaning: To move or do
Words: acting, enacting

How to Use Root Words to Form New Words?

Now that you are already familiar with root words, let’s take a look at how root words combine with prefixes and suffixes to form new words.

Take a look at the root word “Act”. You can create a new word by adding the element “reen.” “Reen” is used as a prefix, a component placed in front of a root word thereby changing its meaning. Prefixes at times can create new words that belong to a different class. So, from the noun “act,” we form the verb, “to reenact,” which means to act or perform something a second time.

You can add elements to the end of a root word. For instance, take the word “acting.” The suffix “ing” changes the noun “act” into an adjective. Suffixes are placed after the root word i.e. at the last. Prefixes and suffixes are altogether known as affixes.

Why Learn Root Words?

Does understanding of root words matter? Absolutely yes! Given below are some of the benefits of knowing root words:

Root words help you identify the meaning of a bigger, multisyllabic word by breaking it down into smaller units. Example: The word “Disrespectfully” can be broken down to dis-respect-ful-ly. This means something like “not-respect-full-of + adverb,”. This understanding serves as a great starting point for analyzing the meaning.

When you can identify a root word, prefix and suffix, you will be better equipped to build new words and expand your vocabulary. For example: “port” is a root word that means “to carry” or “to move”. Many new words are formed by adding prefixes and suffixes to the root word. Such words include transport, portable, teleportation, deport or export etc.

Expanding your vocabulary in turn helps you develop your comprehension, reading and writing skills. Root words, particularly those from other languages, help you learn about how a language evolved, how it is connected to other languages, and what important historical impacts resulted in its changes.

Are Root Words and Base Words the Same?

Base words are identical to root words, but they are not the same. A base word can be considered a standalone English word. A base word can also form other words by using prefixes and suffixes. However, root words cannot always be used as independent words.

Are Root Words Always Simple?

Most of the root words have a meaning of their own. That meaning conforms to the new word made from it. However, be cautious as this is not always the case. Some root word varieties make less sense.

If you were to infer the meaning of apology based on root words alone, you might get the impression that it means “away from speech.” However, that is not a very apt description for a word that expresses regret or remorse. Hence understanding the meaning of the roots never ensures that you always have the most appropriate or clear definition.

FAQs on Root Words

1) What are some of the common root words?
A root word refers to a word or word element from which other words are formed, usually by adding prefixes and suffixes. Some of the common root words include act, friend, semi, max, min etc.

2) Do all words have roots?
In most cases, a word will have at least one root. It is from the root word that new words are coined. However, words can also be made up of more than one root. Example: geology- the root words are geo and logy.

3) What are prefixes and suffixes?
A root refers to a word or word element from which other words are formed, usually by adding prefixes and suffixes. Prefix refers to a word that is added before the root word.
Example: befriend- root word- friend and prefix added is “be”
On the other hand, suffixes are added after the root word. Example: friendly- root word- friend and suffix- “ly”.

Conclusion

Mastering the concept of root words can be helpful to you in numerous ways. If you take some time to learn root words and the most common affixes, you’ll enhance your vocabulary more than you can imagine. Learning root words will help you create new words by the addition of affixes.

You can also deconstruct a bigger word to learn its meaning if you are well versed in root words. On the whole, root words serve as an important lesson that helps you understand how words are formed. Check out our articles on How to Improve your Vocabulary and never struggle while speaking the language in search of words.

Do adjective suffixes convert word roots into adjectives?

Adjective suffixes convert a word root into an adjective. Different pronunciations of medical terms are acceptable.

What suffixes can be used to make a term into an adjective?

Adjectives. Many adjectives are formed from a base of a different class with a suffix (e.g. -less, -ous). Adjectives can also be formed from other adjectives, especially by the negative prefixes (un-, in- and non-). The most common suffixes are -al, -ent, -ive, -ous, -ful, -less.

What does the suffix an mean?

-an. a suffix occurring originally in adjectives borrowed from Latin, formed from nouns denoting places (Roman; urban) or persons (Augustan), and now productively forming English adjectives by extension of the Latin pattern.

What is the root word for going?

Adjective suffixes convert a word root into an adjective. Different pronunciations of medical terms are acceptable. Different spellings of medical terms are acceptable. Terms ending in -a are pluralized by simply adding an e to the end of the term.

What does the suffix ary mean?

1 : thing belonging to or connected with especially : place of ovary. 2 : person belonging to, connected with, or engaged in functionary. -ary. adjective suffix.

What does a visionary mean?

A visionary is someone with a strong vision of the future. Since such visions aren’t always accurate, a visionary’s ideas may either work brilliantly or fail miserably. The word is also an adjective; thus, for example, we may speak of a visionary project, a visionary leader, a visionary painter, or a visionary company.

What does the suffix RY mean?

-ery, -ry suffix forming nouns. indicating a place of business or some other activity: bakery, brewery, refinery. indicating a class or collection of things: cutlery, greenery. indicating qualities or actions collectively: snobbery, trickery. indicating a practice or occupation: husbandry.

What does it mean when something goes awry?

1 : off the correct or expected course : amiss Their plans went awry. 2 : in a turned or twisted position or direction : askew His wig was put on all awry, with the tail straggling about his neck.—

What is awry in Tagalog?

Translation for word Awry in Tagalog is : pilipit.

What is another word for awry?

What is the biblical definition of lament?

Lament is defined as to feel loss, sorrow or regret, often expressed in a physical way. An example of a lament is The Book of Lamentations in the Old Testament of the Bible.

What type of word is lament?

verb (used without object) to feel, show, or express grief, sorrow, or regret. to mourn deeply.

What is a lament prayer?

Lament is vital prayer for the people of God because it enables them to petition for God to help deliver from distress, suffering, and pain. Lament prayer is designed to persuade God to act on the sufferer’s behalf. Still, God is knowable, and from Scripture.

What is the phrasal verb of lament for?

To grieve for someone or something; to be full of sorrow because of someone or something. I know you miss him, but you need to stop lamenting over Jonathan and start living your life again.

Where does the word lament come from?

From French lamenter, from Latin lāmentor (“I wail, weep”), from lāmenta (“wailings, laments, moanings”); with formative -mentum, from the root *la-, probably ultimately imitative.

What does lamentations mean in Hebrew?

The Book of Lamentations (Hebrew: אֵיכָה‎, ‘Êykhôh, from its incipit meaning “how”) is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE.

What does the word squabbling mean?

: a noisy altercation or quarrel usually over petty matters. squabble. verb. squabbled; squabbling ˈskwä-​b(ə-​)liŋ

Understanding suffixes is a great way to increase your English vocabulary. I will explain the meaning of the suffix ness and show you how to use it with more than 60 real example sentences.

The suffix –ness means state (condition) or quality. Words (usually adjectives) with the suffix ness become nouns that mean – Having the quality of the root word. – The noun happiness is the quality of being happy. Fitness is the quality of being fit.

Keep reading for lots more helpful tips on spelling and download the suffix ness worksheet that I made for you to use in your study or with your own students.

The Suffix -ness Meaning

The suffix -NESS means – the quality, state, or character of

ness suffix – Definition, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

When you add the suffix to the end of adjectives the new word will become a noun that means having the quality of the adjective root word.

Happiness is a noun that means having the quality of happy.

Money can’t buy happiness.

An article in Nature Medicine reports the first case of eyesight recovery using a new experimental technique to cure blindness. SOURCE

4 days after the storm many houses were still in darkness. (The houses still do not have power.)

In (all) fairness (to somebody) – used to introduce a statement that defends somebody who has just been criticized, or that explains another statement that may seem unreasonable

“In all fairness, I don’t think that was the right thing to do.”

“Every time I got to meet with Her Majesty, her generosity and her gracefulness made that moment the most important ever.”Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau LINK

Staff missing work due to illness cost the company $200,000.00 last year. We need to do more to promote a healthy work culture.

The Suffix -NESS In the News

There’s (a) method in somebody’s madness

​there is a reason for somebody’s behavior and it is not as strange or as stupid as it seems

– Travis it’s methods are unusual but he always gets the job done. There’s a method to his madness.

My favorite scene from the movie 300.“This is madness.”“Madness? This is SPARTA!”

altitude sickness – sickness from being at high altitudes decompression sickness – severe pain and difficulty in breathing experienced by divers who come back to the surface of deep water too quicklyhomesickness – the feeling of being sad because you are away from home and you miss your family and friendsmorning sickness – the need to vomit that some women feel, often only in the morning, when they are pregnant, especially in the first monthsmotion sickness – the unpleasant feeling that you are going to vomit, that some people have when they are moving, especially in a vehicle (See also seasickness, car sickness)

I add honey to everything. More honey = more sweetness.

A pound of honey is made by 2 million flower visits. The bees fly 55,000 miles back and forth to bring that honey. SOURCE

Wilderness World OriginOld English wildēornes ‘land inhabited only by wild animals’, from wild dēor ‘wild deer’ + -ness.

A noun with the suffix -NESS that is only used in British English

poshness meaning – the quality of being from a high social class

Several of my English students have asked me “Should I use HAVE TO or MUST?” Learn how with this Easy Grammar guide. Worldenglishblog.com/have-to-or-must-grammar-guide

The Suffix -NESS on medicine labels

It’s common to see adjectives written as nouns with the suffix -ness on medicine labels listing the side effects.

The most common side effect of medicine is an upset stomach or nausea. SOURCE

The words ache, pain, sore, and hurt all describe an unpleasant feeling in our bodies. They can be easy to confuse. Learn how to use these words FAST with lots of real examples from a Native English Teacher. Worldenglishblog.com/ache-pain-sore-and-hurt-real-examples

Suffix -ness Spelling note

If a two-syllable adjective ends in the letter Y, the Y will change into an I before adding NESS.

happy – happinessfriendly – friendlinesslonely – loneliness

Three-letter adjectives ending in Y don’t often change to an I.

shy – shyness

sly – slyness

Suffix -ness FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between business and busyness?

business VS busyness

The noun business is used for a company, store, or service that supplies something in exchange for money.“Kirk opened a new business.”

The noun busyness is the state of being busy.“Some people confuse busyness with productivity.”

The noun business has 8 uses. Here are a few:

1) the activity of making, buying, selling or supplying goods or services for money

2) a commercial organization such as a company, shop or factory

3) something that a particular person or organization is responsible for

The noun busyness has two main uses.1) the state of being busy

2) the state of having many details

Word OriginOld English ‘anxiety’ (see busy, -ness); the sense ‘state of being busy’ was used from Middle English down to the 18th cent., but is now differentiated as busyness. The use ‘appointed task’ dates from late Middle English, and from it all the other current senses have developed.

Suffix -ness Worksheet

Suffix ~NESS Infographic

Thanks to storyset.com a division of freepik.com for the great images. Images that were used in this post are linked below.

People illustrations by StorysetWork illustrations by StorysetSport illustrations by StorysetHealth illustrations by StorysetFood illustrations by StorysetNature illustrations by StorysetEducation illustrations by StorysetOnline illustrations by Storyset