Are you looking for a nice way to say “fat”?
Not everyone prefers the word “fat,” so it is important to have some alternatives by hand!
Thus, we’ll show you how to describe a fat person respectfully using a great list of terms and phrases.
How to Describe a Fat Person Politely
- Plus-size
- Full figured
- Rubenesque
- Heavy-set
- Curvy
- Plump
- Higher body weight
- Larger size
- Plump
- Chubby
- Heavy
- Overweight
- Voluptuous
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A popular term for fat people in the fashion realm is “plus-size.”
- “Full figured” is a more polite and flattering term for a bigger individual, especially a woman.
- When someone is plump and pleasing to the eye, you can call them “Rubenesque.”
Don’t go anywhere! We still need to discuss our three favorite polite words and phrases for a fat person below.
Moreover, we’ll show you how to use each of our choices in some helpful example sentences.
Plus-Size
If you’re wondering how to describe a fat person politely, a common phrase in popular media and fashion for men, women, and others of size is “plus-size.”
The Cambridge Dictionary defines the term “plus-size” as “designed for people who are larger than average, or used to describe someone larger than average in size.”
From the definition above, you can see that we use “plus-size” to refer to clothes shaped and designed to suit bigger bodies and to describe people with bigger bodies too.
Therefore, let’s see a couple of example sentences making use of this term:
Troy is a plus-size model for my favorite luxury fashion brand.
I saw her leaving with the plus-size woman in the flowery yellow dress.
Full Figured
Another polite way to say “fat” when referring to a bigger person is “full-figured.”
According to Merriam-Webster, the phrase “full figured” means “having a rounded body shape: not thin.”
Therefore, you can use this phrase to describe a very diverse range of bigger bodies both in your speech and in your writing.
In practice, we usually use this phrase to describe a more feminine shape. After all, it tends to create the image of feminine curves.
However, it will do no harm to describe anyone as “full-figured” if you think this phrase captures your subject’s essence!
Have a look at how we’ve used this phrase in a few examples:
They are full-figured yet have a distinctly masculine gait as they enter a room.
I am naturally full-figured, and I find that the dresses they make here accentuate my best features.
Rubenesque
“Rubenesque” is a great word for when you’re describing a fat person in creative writing.
Merriam-Webster defines the word “Rubenesque” as “of, relating to, or suggestive of the painter Rubens or his works, especially: plump or rounded usually in a pleasing or attractive way.”
Peter Paul Rubens was a Baroque painter. He is best known for his frequent depictions of plump, nude, feminine bodies.
Therefore, calling a fat person “Rubenesque” has distinctly positive connotations. After all, we credit Rubens with creating bold and exquisite paintings.
Who wouldn’t want to be compared to such a thing?
The term “Rubenesque” was only coined in the 19th century. This explains why we still tend to capitalize the “R.”
However, if this term becomes more used in our regular vernacular, it’ll probably suffice to use a small “r” eventually.
Nevertheless, let’s see some example sentences making use of this term:
He is vibrant and Rubenesque, and, as I gaze at him, I start to ponder the concept of love at first sight.
In the picture below, we can see a Rubenesque young woman sitting beside a stream.