Does your novel include a scene in a forest? Do you want to make this setting frightening? Use the 10 words to describe a spooky forest from the list below.
1. Dense
Definition
Marked by crowded parts, compactness, or thickness.
Examples
“They walked deeper into thedensewood, the path becoming narrower and narrower until she started to worry that they would lose it completely.”
“Adensethicket of trees was up ahead, clouded by shadow.”
How It Adds Description
The word dense can help communicate to your readers that the forest you’re describing is very thick. A character may have trouble moving through so many trees, or there could be things that hide easily in a dense forest. This word can also help to make the scene feel more claustrophobic.
2. Dark
Definition
Having no light or having only a portion of light; demonstrating evil traits.
Examples
“Even though it was day, the forest loomed in front of them,darkand watchful.”
“There was somethingdarkin the forest. He could sense it was following them, but he didn’t know what it was.”
How It Adds Description
The word dark can tell your readers that the forest your character is in is literally dark, which will help to add an ominous mood to your scene. Alternatively, you can also use the word dark to infer that the forest itself may have ill wishes to add a fantastical element to your story.
3. Foreboding
Definition
A sign or prediction that something evil or ill-intentioned is coming; someone who forebodes is inwardly convinced of something.
Examples
“As they walked through the trees, she had aforebodingsense that something terrible was going to happen.”
“The sound of the leaves shifting against each other as theforebodingwind blew made all of them feel on edge.”
How It Adds Description
If you want to make your readers feel uneasy about what might happen in the forest you’re describing, this is a good word to use. You can say that the forest itself has a foreboding presence, or you can describe the foreboding feeling that your characters may have as they enter it.
4. Gloomy
Definition
Completely or partially dark; causing low spirits or feelings of hopelessness or despair.
Examples
“As the rain started to fall, the forest around them somehow seemed even moregloomy.”
“Thegloomyatmosphere of the woods around them made them wonder if they would ever be able to get back out.”
How It Adds Description
Describing the woods in your story as gloomy will do a lot to help the overall mood of your scene feel much darker and more somber.
5. Cold
Definition
Lacking warmth, having a low temperature; of a lower temperature than is comfortable; demonstrating a lack of life.
Examples
“A strong wind blew through the trees and she shivered in thecoldof the forest, rubbing her arms to try and regain warmth.”
“The trees were sparse and the woods felt lifeless andcold—she wondered if there was anything living in them at all.”
How It Adds Description
The forest that your character is in may literally be of a low temperature, in which case you could describe it as cold. However, it may also be lacking in life or have an uninviting feeling to it. Cold would be a great word to use in this situation as well.
6. Bone-chilling
Definition
Causing a disturbing or otherwise intensely emotional effect; so cold one can feel it in their bones.
Examples
“He shivered in thebone-chillingdarkness, uncertain which path he should try next.”
“The woods werebone-chillingto look at, but he knew that he had to go through them to reach his destination.”
How It Adds Description
If the temperature is more than just cold in the forest, you can describe it as bone-chilling. The atmosphere itself can also be described as bone-chilling which will help readers get a better sense of how ominous the woods are.
7. Bitter
Definition
Distressing or distasteful in some way; demonstrating animosity; being very unpleasant.
Examples
“They spent three days searching through thebitterwoods for the cabin that held what they were looking for, but they never found it.”
“The wind blowing made the forest feelbitter.”
How It Adds Description
When you describe a forest as bitter, this is going to help readers get the sense that the woods are either physically chilly or that the forest is showing a certain level of animosity.
8. Winding
Definition
Not straight, taking many turns.
Examples
“Thewindingpath through the woods seemed to lead them nowhere, and he started to wonder if he had seen certain trees before.”
“To reach the castle, the adventuring party would have to get through thewindingwoods which were full of turns and perils.”
How It Adds Description
When a path is winding, it could be easy to get lost or lose one’s sense of direction while following it. If you use the word winding to describe your forest, it can add another level of danger for the character walking through it.
9. Stormy
Definition
Indicative of a storm; furious or tumultuous.
Example
“Dark clouds hovered over thestormyforest, rain pelting down on the party as they walked.”
How It Adds Description
Describing the weather can do a lot to help intensify a certain kind of atmosphere in a scene. If you describe your forest as stormy, then readers may start to feel uneasy. A stormy forest could be more dangerous as it might be more difficult for a character to see properly, or the storm could delay their progress, forcing them to spend more time in the forest.
10. Ominous
Definition
Demonstrating signs of evil; exhibiting an omen, usually a bad one.
Examples
“The trees stood tall andominousagainst the gray sky.”
“An owl hooted somewhere in the distance, and the sound was so startling andominousthat she almost jumped out of her skin.”
How It Adds Description
Using the word ominous will give your readers the sense that the forest they are reading about has something ill-intentioned in store. There could be bad omens throughout the woods, or the forest itself could be an ominous marker of something that is to come later in the story.
