Best Examples of Descriptive Essay Examples About Objects (With Tips)

Short, Strong Examples of Descriptive Essay Examples About Objects

Instead of starting with definitions, let’s jump straight into writing. Here are several short examples of descriptive essay examples about objects, each focusing on a different item. After each one, you’ll see a quick breakdown of what makes it effective.

Example 1: The Cracked Smartphone

The phone in my hand is a small, buzzing universe. A spiderweb of cracks spreads from the top-right corner, where it hit the kitchen tile last winter. Tiny glass splinters catch the light like frost on a window, turning every notification into a brief, glittering flare. The smooth aluminum edges are interrupted by dents and scratches, each one a timestamp of a clumsy moment—dropped in a parking lot, knocked off a desk, shoved into an overstuffed backpack. When it vibrates, I feel it more than I hear it, a faint rattle against my palm that reminds me how much of my life is trapped behind that fractured screen: text threads with my mom, blurry photos from late-night study sessions, and half-written notes I’ll probably never finish.

Why this works:

• Uses specific sensory details (spiderweb of cracks, glittering flare, faint rattle).
• Connects the object to memories and emotions (text threads, late-night photos).
• Treats the phone as more than a gadget; it becomes a symbol of daily life.

When you look for the best examples of descriptive essay examples about objects, notice how often writers connect the physical details to a larger story or feeling.

Example 2: The Childhood Teddy Bear

My teddy bear, once the color of fresh caramel, has faded into a tired, patchy tan. One ear flops lower than the other, its stuffing shifted from too many nights clutched in small, anxious hands. The fur along his arms is worn thin, more thread than fuzz, marked by the faint, stubborn stain of grape juice from a long-forgotten accident. His plastic eyes, scratched and cloudy, still manage to look permanently surprised, as if he can’t believe he survived so many moves and yard sales. When I press my face into his chest, there’s still a faint smell of laundry detergent and attic dust, a strange mix of clean and forgotten. He doesn’t match my adult bedroom at all, but he sits proudly on the shelf, a quiet witness to every version of me I’ve been.

Why this works:

• Focuses on aging and wear to show time passing.
• Uses smell, touch, and sight to create a multi-sensory picture.
• Links the object to identity and growing up.

Example 3: The Overstuffed Backpack

My backpack slumps in the corner like a tired animal at the end of a long day. The navy fabric has faded to a dull, uncertain blue, rubbed pale where it brushes against my back. The main zipper strains to close over a bulging stack of notebooks, each one bristling with neon sticky notes that poke out like feathers. The front pocket jingles with loose change and keys, a private soundtrack that announces my arrival before I step into a room. When I lift it, the straps dig into my shoulders, leaving red grooves that echo its weight long after I set it down. The faint smell of pencil shavings, old paper, and forgotten granola bars rises every time I unzip it—a portable archive of my semester.

Why this works:

• Personifies the backpack (“like a tired animal”), adding personality.
• Uses sound, smell, and touch to go beyond visual description.
• Shows how the object represents student life.

These are just three examples of descriptive essay examples about objects; as you read more, you’ll see the same techniques repeated with different items.

Example 4: The Kitchen Knife

The chef’s knife lies on the cutting board, its blade catching the afternoon light in a thin, cold line. The handle, once glossy black, now bears tiny crescent moons of wear where my fingers naturally curl around it. When I lift it, the weight feels reassuring, balanced between my thumb and knuckle, like it was made for my hand alone. The steel edge whispers against the wooden board with each slice, a soft, rhythmic tap that fills the quiet kitchen. Onion juice clings to the blade, leaving a sharp, eye-watering scent in the air, while tiny flecks of green cilantro dot the metal like confetti. It’s an ordinary tool, bought on sale years ago, but it has chopped vegetables for first dates, birthday dinners, and lonely late-night meals, cutting through more than just food.

Example 5: The Pair of Running Shoes

My running shoes rest by the door, permanently stained with a map of my bad decisions and small victories. Mud crusts the soles in uneven ridges, clinging stubbornly between the treads. The once-white mesh is now a tired gray, darkened near the toes where summer rain soaked through and never fully dried. When I slide my feet in, the insoles greet me with their familiar, flattened cushion, molded to the exact shape of my arches. A faint, sour smell rises—part sweat, part asphalt, part early morning. The laces, frayed at the tips, tie into a knot I’ve repeated so often my fingers move without thinking. These shoes have carried me through 5 a.m. runs, stress-fueled sprints after bad news, and slow, healing walks when running felt like too much.

Example 6: The Laptop at Midnight

The laptop screen glows in the dark room, a pale rectangle of artificial daylight. Stickers crowd the lid—peeling logos, faded band names, and a crooked barcode from an old museum visit—forming a messy collage of my interests from the past five years. The keyboard is shiny where my fingers rest the most, the letters on A, S, and E almost rubbed away entirely. The fan hums with a low, tired whine, exhaling warm air that smells faintly of dust every time I open too many tabs. At midnight, the blue light makes my hands look ghostly as they hover over the keys, chasing deadlines and half-formed ideas. It’s just a machine, but it holds drafts of essays, awkward emails, and late-night messages I wish I hadn’t sent.

These six real examples of descriptive essay examples about objects show one key pattern: specific details + emotion = strong description.

How to Write Your Own Object Description (Using These Examples)

Once you’ve seen several examples of descriptive essay examples about objects, the next step is turning those models into a process you can actually follow.

Step 1: Pick an Object That Matters (Even a Little)

You don’t need a rare or expensive object. In fact, many of the best examples focus on ordinary items:

• A chipped coffee mug you use every morning
• A gaming controller with sticky buttons
• A family recipe card with grease stains
• A dorm room pillow that never quite fluffs right

What matters is that the object connects to something: a routine, a memory, a person, or a specific moment in your life. Research in psychology suggests that objects tied to personal memories can trigger vivid mental images and emotions, which is exactly what you want in a descriptive essay. The American Psychological Association has discussed how sensory details and memory are closely linked in autobiographical writing (apa.org).

Step 2: Use the Five Senses, Not Just Sight

Look back at the earlier examples of descriptive essay examples about objects. You’ll notice they rarely rely only on how something looks. Instead, they mix:

• Sight: colors, shapes, cracks, stains
• Sound: jingling keys, humming fans, whispering blades
• Touch: weight, temperature, texture, pressure
• Smell: detergent, dust, sweat, food
• Taste: often less common, but powerful for food-related objects

The more senses you naturally weave in, the more your reader feels like they’re right there with you.

Step 3: Add a Hint of Story

The strongest examples include a hint of narrative. The object isn’t just sitting there; it has a past or a role in your life. Ask yourself:

• When did this object become important to me?
• Was there a specific day or event connected to it?
• Has it changed over time (faded, broken, upgraded)?

You don’t have to tell a full story, but a sentence or two about how the object fits into your life makes the description feel meaningful, not random.

Step 4: Be Specific, Not Fancy

You don’t need overly complicated vocabulary. In fact, many of the best examples of descriptive essay examples about objects use simple, precise words:

• “Spiderweb of cracks” is more effective than “many lines.”
• “Faint smell of attic dust” is stronger than “it smells old.”

If you’re unsure how to be specific, try this trick: pretend you’re describing the object to someone who can’t see it at all. What would they need to know to picture it accurately?

For more guidance on descriptive writing, you can explore general writing resources from universities, such as the Harvard College Writing Center’s advice on academic writing (writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu). While it’s not about objects specifically, their focus on clarity and detail supports the same skills.

Longer Example of a Descriptive Essay About a Single Object

To see how everything fits together in a fuller piece, here’s a longer example of a descriptive essay-style passage focused on one object: a dorm room desk.

Example 7: The Dorm Room Desk

The desk in my dorm room is the first thing you see when you walk in, mostly because it’s the only surface that isn’t covered in laundry. It stretches from wall to wall beneath the narrow window, a slab of fake wood with a plastic veneer that pretends to be oak but fools no one. The left corner sags just enough that my pen rolls slowly toward the edge if I’m not paying attention, a tiny, annoying reminder that thousands of students have leaned on this same spot before me.

The surface is a chaotic map of my semester. A cold coffee ring has permanently branded the right side, a pale brown circle that never quite scrubs away. Highlighter streaks in neon yellow and pink run across a crumpled stack of printed articles, their corners curled from being shoved into my backpack too many times. My laptop sits in the center, its charging cable snaking over the edge like a white vine, plugged into an outlet that sparks occasionally when I bump it with my knee.

Pushed against the back wall, a row of textbooks stands at uneven attention. Their spines are creased and tired, titles in bold fonts promising things like “Foundations of Biology” and “Introduction to Statistics.” A folded syllabus sticks out from one of them, stained with what might be ramen broth. Wedged between the books, a tiny potted cactus leans toward the window, its soil dry and cracked. I keep forgetting to water it, yet it keeps surviving, a stubborn, prickly roommate.

The desk smells faintly of instant noodles and citrus cleaning wipes, a strange mix of late-night snacks and last-minute attempts at adulthood. When I sit down, the chair scrapes against the linoleum floor with an exaggerated squeal that my neighbors definitely recognize by now. The edge of the desk presses into my forearms, leaving shallow red lines if I stay too long. Still, this is where most of my college life happens: late-night essay marathons, awkward Zoom calls, nervous email drafts, and occasional victories when I finally understand a problem set.

It’s an ugly desk, if I’m honest. The fake wood is chipped along the front, and someone before me carved a tiny heart into the underside where only a bored student would ever see it. But it’s also a kind of stage. Every day, I sit in the same spot, open the same laptop, shuffle the same papers, and try to build a future from this wobbly piece of furniture.

This longer sample pulls together many of the patterns you’ve seen in other examples of descriptive essay examples about objects: sensory detail, hints of story, and emotional connection.

Trends in Descriptive Writing About Objects (2024–2025)

If you’re writing for school in 2024–2025, teachers are increasingly asking for descriptive essays that connect with:

• Digital objects: phones, laptops, gaming consoles, smartwatches.
• Sustainability and minimalism: reusable bottles, thrifted clothes, secondhand furniture.
• Hybrid learning spaces: home desks, kitchen tables turned into classrooms, shared workspaces.

Current education trends emphasize personal experience and reflection. Many writing assignments now encourage students to link their descriptions to mental health, identity, or daily routines. For instance, describing a water bottle might lead to a reflection on hydration and well-being; organizations like the CDC regularly highlight how daily habits shape health (cdc.gov), and those same habits often show up in the objects we carry.

Pay attention to the objects that show up in your life every single day in 2024–2025: your phone, earbuds, reusable bag, or planner app on your tablet. These can all become strong subjects for your own descriptive essay.

FAQ About Descriptive Essay Examples About Objects

What are some good examples of objects to describe in a descriptive essay?

Good examples include items you use or see every day: your phone, backpack, favorite hoodie, water bottle, gaming controller, car keys, or a piece of jewelry you never take off. Many of the best examples of descriptive essay examples about objects focus on familiar things that carry personal meaning.

How long should a descriptive essay about an object be?

For middle school, a paragraph or one-page essay is common. For high school or early college, teachers often expect 500–1000 words. Always check your assignment guidelines, but studying any example of descriptive writing about objects will show you that depth of detail matters more than word count.

How can I make my description more vivid?

Use the five senses, choose specific details, and connect the object to a memory or feeling. Look back at the real examples in this guide: each one uses concrete images (cracks, stains, smells, sounds) instead of vague phrases like “it looks nice” or “it’s important to me.”

Where can I find more real examples of descriptive writing?

You can check writing centers and sample essays from universities. Many college writing centers, such as those at community colleges or major universities, share sample student essays on their websites. Another option is to read narrative nonfiction or personal essays in magazines, where writers often describe objects in rich detail. While not labeled as “descriptive essays,” they provide real examples of the same skills.

Is it okay to describe digital or virtual objects?

Yes. In 2024–2025, many teachers welcome descriptions of apps, game interfaces, or virtual items, as long as you still use sensory language and specific details. For example, you might describe the glow of your phone screen at night, the sound effects of a game, or the way notification badges crowd your home screen. These can be powerful modern examples of descriptive essay examples about objects.

If you keep these examples and strategies in mind, you’ll be able to turn almost any object—no matter how ordinary—into vivid, engaging writing that feels alive on the page.