D&D Stats in Simple Language

Below are some quick descriptions of every stat, from 1 (a modifier of -5, or as low as a character can get without being undead or a construct) to 25 (a modifier of +7, or as high as a PHB character can get without magic):

Strength

Measures: Natural athleticism, bodily power

Modifier
-5	Morbidly weak, significant trouble lifting own limbs
-4	Needs help to stand, can be knocked over by strong breezes
-3	Knocked off balance by swinging something dense
-2	Difficulty pushing an object of their weight
-1	Has trouble even lifting heavy objects
0	Can literally pull their own weight
1	Carries heavy objects for short distances
2	Toned, throws small objects long distances
3	Carries heavy objects with one arm
4	Can break objects like wood with bare hands
5	Can wrestle a work animal or catch a falling person
6	Can pull very heavy objects at appreciable speeds
7	Pinnacle of brawn, able to out-lift several people

Dexterity

Measures: Physical agility, reflexes, balance, poise

Modifier
-5	Barely mobile, probably significantly paralyzed
-4	Incapable of moving without noticeable effort or pain
-3	Visible paralysis or physical difficulty
-2	Significant klutz or very slow to react
-1	Somewhat slow, occasionally trips over own feet
0	Capable of usually catching a small tossed object
1	Able to often hit large targets
2	Can catch or dodge a medium-speed surprise projectile
3	Able to often hit small targets
4	Light on feet, able to often hit small moving targets
5	Graceful, able to flow from one action into another easily
6	Very graceful, capable of dodging a number of thrown objects
7	Moves like water, reacting to all situations with almost no effort

Constitution

Measures: Heath, stamina, vital force

Modifier
-5	Minimal immune system, body reacts violently to anything foreign
-4	Frail, suffers frequent broken bones
-3	Bruises very easily, knocked out by a light punch
-2	Unusually prone to disease and infection
-1	Easily winded, incapable of a full day’s hard labor
0	Occasionally contracts mild sicknesses
1	Can take a few hits before being knocked unconscious
2	Able to labor for twelve hours most days
3	Easily shrugs off most illnesses
4	Able to stay awake for days on end
5	Very difficult to wear down, almost never feels fatigue
6	Never gets sick, even to the most virulent diseases
7	Tireless paragon of physical endurance

Intelligence

Measures: Mental acuity, information recall, analytical skill

Modifier
-5	Animalistic, no longer capable of logic or reason
-4	Barely able to function, very limited speech and knowledge
-3	Often resorts to charades to express thoughts
-2	Often misuses and mispronounces words
-1	Has trouble following trains of thought, forgets most unimportant things
0	Knows what they need to know to get by
1	Knows a bit more than is necessary, fairly logical
2	Able to do math or solve logic puzzles mentally with reasonable accuracy
3	Fairly intelligent, able to understand new tasks quickly
4	Very intelligent, may invent new processes or uses for knowledge
5	Highly knowledgeable, probably the smartest person many people know
6	Able to make Holmesian leaps of logic
7	Famous as a sage and genius

Wisdom

Measures: Awareness, intuition, insight

Modifier
-5	Seemingly incapable of thought, barely aware
-4	Rarely notices important or prominent items, people, or occurrences
-3	Seemingly incapable of forethought
-2	Often fails to exert common sense
-1	Forgets or opts not to consider options before taking action
0	Makes reasoned decisions most of the time
1	Able to tell when a person is upset
2	Can get hunches about a situation that doesn’t feel right
3	Reads people and situations fairly well
4	Often used as a source of wisdom or decider of actions
5	Reads people and situations very well, almost unconsciously
6	Can tell minute differences among many situations
7	Nearly prescient, able to reason far beyond logic

Charisma

Measures: Confidence, eloquence, leadership

Modifier
-5	Barely conscious, probably acts heavily autistic
-4	Minimal independent thought, relies heavily on others to think instead
-3	Has trouble thinking of others as people
-2	Terribly reticent, uninteresting, or rude
-1	Something of a bore or makes people mildly uncomfortable
0	Capable of polite conversation
1	Interesting, knows what to say to most people
2	Can get hunches about a situation that doesn’t feel right
3	Popular, receives greetings and conversations on the street
4	Immediately likeable by many people, subject of favorable talk
5	Life of the party, able to keep people entertained for hours
6	Immediately likeable by almost everybody
7	Renowned for wit, personality, and/or looks