Abstract. This study is devoted to the analysis of the role of adjectives in the formation of the artistic world of Lyudmila Petrushevskaya based on the material of the collection "Black Coat. Terrible cases." Using the methods of linguistic and semantic analysis, the author identifies the key functions of adjectives in creating an atmosphere, characterization of characters and plot construction. The results demonstrate that adjectives play an important role in shaping the gloomy, oppressive atmosphere of the works, as well as in conveying the psychological states of the characters. The research contributes to the understanding of Petrushevskaya's idiosyncrasy and the specifics of her artistic method.