Kill – cause the death of (a person, animal, or other living thing).
Killjoy – a person who deliberately spoils the enjoyment of others.
Knave – a dishonest or unscrupulous man.
Knife – an instrument composed of a blade fixed into a handle, used for cutting or as a weapon.
Knock – strike a surface noisily to attract attention, especially when waiting to be let in through a door.
Knotted – fastened with or having a knot or knots.
Kooky – strange or eccentric.
Kowtow – showing way too much subservience, almost to the point of being oppressive.
Kaleidoscopic – when things are described as kaleidoscopic, they’re often changing in a confusing and unpredictable way.
Knotty – if something is described as knotty, it’s like saying it’s an extra level of complex, tricky, or difficult.
Klutz – clumsy and prone to mistakes.
Kibosh – putting an end to something, blocking it.
Kilter – when things are out of kilter, they’re not quite right.
Knee-jerk: it’s not always the most thought-out response. Impulsive or a quick reaction to something.
Kibitz – giving unsolicited advice while you’re trying to do something often in a nosy way.
Kludge – a makeshift or haphazard solution that’s put together quickly but not very well.
Kerfuffle – a commotion or fuss, often over something trivial, creating unnecessary chaos.
Knackered – utterly exhausted or worn out, beyond just feeling tired.
Kickback – illicit payment or reward, especially in return for a favor or service.
Knucklehead – a foolish or stupid person, someone not known for their intelligence.
Knee-slapper – a joke or situation that’s supposed to be funny turns out to be not funny or lame.
Kinked – something that is not running smoothly, disrupted or twisted. Like a kink in the water hose.
Kleptocratic – a government or leadership that is see to be corrupt and stealing from the people.
Klaxon – a loud, blaring noise or alarm, often used metaphorically to describe something irritating or jarring.
Kibbled – broken into small, useless pieces, like a plan or idea that has fallen apart.
Knee-deep – involved or immersed to an excessive degree, often in a challenging or difficult situation.
Are there any negative words beginning with the letter K you think should be on this list? Drop me a comment, I’m always open to adding more words – thanks!
If you want to find more negative words starting with a different letter of the alphabet, just click one of the letters below:
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Image credits – Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.