Tone Words

accusatory

charging of wrong doing

apathetic

indifferent due to lack of energy or concern

awe

solemn wonder (worshipful/reverent/full of awe)

bantering

good-natured joking or teasing

benevolent

charitable; inclined to do good

bitter

exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief

burlesque

broadly comic or satirical imitation of a comedy; low comedy

callous

unfeeling, insensitive to feelings of others

candid

frank, outspoken, open, sincere

caustic

intensely sarcastic; stinging; biting

choleric

hot-tempered; peevish; easily angered

clinical

purely scientific; dispassionately curious; impersonal

compassionate

sympathizing deeply; pitying

complimentary

conveying or expressing praise, commendation or admiration

concerned

interested; troubled; anxious

condescending

exhibiting superiority; snobbish (as though the speaker is of a higher rank intellectually, socially, morally, etc.)

confident

assured; certain; trustful

contemplative

thoughtful; in an attitude of study or reflection on an issue

contemptuous

scornful toward something felt to be worthless; intense disgust

contentious

tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome

conventional

lacking spontaneity, originality, and/or individuality- language term

critical

finding fault

cynical

questioning the basic sincerity and goodness of people

derisive

ridiculing, mocking

detached

not involved emotionally; impartial

didactic

attempting to educate or instruct

disdainful

aloof contempt or scorn; regarding as beneath one's dignity

earnest

intensely sincere

effusive

overflowing; excessively emotional, in an unrestrained way

elegiac

sad; mournful; plaintive

erudite

learned, polished, scholarly

facetious

joking or silly (especially at an inappropriate time)

factual

containing facts; real; actual

fanciful

imaginative, whimsical

flippant

frivolous and disrespectful; impertinent

forthright

directly frank without hesitation

gloomy

dark, sad

haughty

proud and vain to the point of arrogance

impartial

fair; without bias

incisive

keen; sharp; penetrating

indignant

marked by anger that is aroused from injustice

inflammatory

likely to rouse excitement, anger, violence, etc.

informative

educational, instructional

insipid

without flavor; tasteless; not exciting or interesting

intimate

very familiar

irreverent

disrespect; lack of love or awe for something sacred

ironic

opposite to what is usual or expected by the reader

insolent

boldly rule or disrespectful; impertinent

judgmental

critically authoratative

jovial

cheerful, jocular

lugubrious

very sad or mournful to an exaggerated degree

lyrical

emotional; full imagery, song-like

malicious

purposely hurtful

matter-of-fact

accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional

mock-heroic

burlesquing a heroic manner, action, or character

mocking

treating with contempt or ridicule

moralistic

preachy; imposing a moral system on others

morose

gloomy, sullen, surly, despondent

objective

unbiased, fair

optimistic

hopeful; cheerful

obsequious

polite; obedient in hopes of gain or favor

patronizing

condescending; conveying an attitude of superiority

pedantic

stressing minor or trivial points of learning

pessimistic

hopeless; seeing the worst outcome

petty

relatively worthless; trivial; minor

pretentious

making claims, implicit or explicit, to some distinction or importance

quizzical

puzzled; mildly teasing

restrained

limited; restricted; suppressed

ribald

crude; offensive; lewd

reverent

respectful

ridiculing

mocking

reflective

thoughtful; deliberative

sanguine

optimistic; cheerful

sarcastic

derisive; taunting; ridiculing; sneering

sardonic

derisively mocking

scornful

filled with extreme indignant contempt; disdain; refusing or rejecting as wrongful/disgraceful

sentimental

showing tender, gentle, or delicate feelings, but sometimes in an excessive way; influenced more by emotion than reason

sincere

genuine; without deceit or pretense

solemn

deeply earnest; grave

somber

dark, gloomy; earnest and solemn

sympathetic

looking upon with favor

taunting

challenging or reproachful in a sarcastic, insulting, or jeering way

turgid

inflated, overblown or pompous; bombastic

urgent

calling for haste; insistent

vibrant

vigorous; energetic; radiant

whimsical

lightly fanciful; capricious