Literary Tone Words

aggressive

disposed to attack; militant; assertive; pushing

ambivalent

having opposing attitudes or feelings toward a person, thing, or idea; unable to decide

angry

having a strong feeling of or showing annoyance, displeasure, or hostility

anticipating

looking forward or expecting

anxious

fearful of what may happen; troubled; worried

apathetic

indifferent; uninterested; lethargic

apprehensive

fearful or anxious, especially about the future

arrogant

haughty, too convinced of one's own importance

authoritative

official, coming from a source that calls for obedience or belief, dictatorial

bitter

characterized by intense antagonism or hostility; resentful or cynical

cajoling

persuading by using flattery or promises

careful

with care and dignity

cautious

avoiding unnecessary risks or mistakes

cheerful

pleasantly (even unrealistically) optimistic

clairvoyant

perceiving things beyond the natural range of the senses ; foreseeing the future

comical

humorous; amusing

condescending

possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing

confessional

characterized by personal admissions of faults

confident

having faith in oneself; self-reliant; sure

confused

unable to tell people or things apart

conservative

conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class

content

happy with what one has; satisfied

curious

eager to investigate and learn or learn more (sometimes about others' concerns)

cynical

believing the worst of human nature and motives

dark

showing a brooding ill humor

depressed

gloomy; low-spirited; sad

disapproving

to have an unfavorable opinion of; condemn

disgusted

a sick feeling of strong dislike

disrespectful

rude and discourteous

dissatisfied

unhappy about the way something turned out

dry

lacking interest or stimulation

eerie

so strange as to inspire a feeling of fear

enthusiastic

having or showing great excitement and interest

erotic

pertaining to passionate love or sexual love

exaggerated

enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness

excited

eager, thrilled

expectant

marked by eager anticipation

fearful

experiencing or showing fear

flowing

smooth and unconstrained in movement

forbidding

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

forceful

characterized by or full of force or strength (often but not necessarily physical)

frantic

marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion

frustrated

disappointingly unsuccessful

gloomy

depressingly dark

greedy

wanting to eat or drink more than one can reasonably consume

grim

harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance

gruesome

horrible, revolting, ghastly

happy

experiencing pleasure or joy

harmonious

made up of parts that are orderly and pleasing; agreeable; showing agreement in attitudes, feelings and so on

harsh

sharply disagreeable

hateful

characterized by malice

heavy

of great gravity or crucial import

heckling

to harass (a public speaker, performer, etc.) with impertinent questions, gibes, or the like; to badger

hectoring

to try to frighten or control by bullying

hopeful

having or manifesting or inspiring hope

humorous

funny, amusing, comical

hysterical

marked by excessive or uncontrollable emotion

iconoclastic

attacking or seeking to overthrow popular or traditional beliefs, ideas, or institutions

incensed

very angry; enraged

incredulous

disbelieving, skeptical

indignant

filled with resentment or anger over something unjust, unworthy, or mean

inquisitive

curious; inclined to ask questions

insulting

rude, insensitive, offensive

intellectual

appealing to or using the intellect

irate

feeling or showing extreme anger

ironic

humorously sarcastic or mocking

jolly

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

joyful

full of or suggesting exultant happiness

know-it-all

author professes to know everything and refuses to accept advice or information from others

lamenting

expressing grief or sorrow or resembling such expression

languid

slow, sluggish, listless, weak

melancholy

characterized by or causing or expressing sadness

mocking

laughing at; making fun of

monotonous

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

morbid

suggesting the horror of death and decay

mysterious

difficult to explain; strange

na�ve

lacking in worldly judgment; simple, child-like, unsuspecting

nervous

causing or fraught with or showing anxiety

neutral

lacking distinguishing quality or characteristics; having no personal preference

nostalgic

wishing for a return to the way things used to be; longing for the past; homesick

optimistic

expecting the best in this best of all possible worlds

pessimistic

feeling gloomy and hopeless; thinking the worst

petulant

peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset

playful

full of fun and high spirits

pleading

desperate; begging

pleasant

pleasing, agreeable, or enjoyable; giving pleasure

reflective

relating to or characterized by deep thought; thoughtful: contemplative

reminiscent

evocative; suggestive of something already past

remorseful

feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses

resentful

angry due to a feeling of being treated unfairly

reverent

feeling or showing profound respect or veneration

romantic

expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance

sacred

made or declared or believed to be holy

sad

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

sarcastic

mocking or nasty; intended to hurt or wound another's feelings

sardonic

bitterly sarcastic; mocking; sneering

satirical

exposing human folly to ridicule

self-centered

limited to or caring only about yourself and your own needs; egocentrically obsessed

serious

concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities

silly

weak-minded or lacking good sense; stupid or foolish; lacking seriousness or responsibleness; frivolous

skeptical

doubting: marked by or given to doubt

somber

dark, gloomy; depressed or melancholy in spirit

sorrowful

experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss; extremely sad

spiteful

showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt

superficial

of little substance or significance; lacking in depth

surreal

characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions

sympathetic

showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity

thoughtful

exhibiting or characterized by careful thought

vicious

wicked, malicious, savage

vulnerable

open to attack; capable of being wounded or damaged; unprotected

whimsical

lightly acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable

whining

sniveling: complaining

wise

marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters

wry

dryly humorous, often with a touch of irony