Tone Words M-Z

Meditative

deeply or seriously thoughtful

Mock

pretending to be serious; disingenuous.

Mock-heroic

 imitating that which is heroic, as in manner, character, or action.

Moralistic

characterized by or displaying a concern with morality.

Mournful

feeling or expressing sorrow or grief; sorrowful; sad.

Nonchalant

coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual.

Nostalgic

longing for past events.

Obdurate

stubborn; unyielding; stubbornly resistant to moral influence.

Objective

 not influenced by personal feelings or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased.

Obsequious

overly obedient or submissive.

Ominous

foreboding; threatening; inauspicious.

Optimistic

disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.

Oratorical

given to making speeches; pertaining to speech-like quality.

Outraged

angered and resentful; indignant.

Overbearing

domineering; dictatorial; haughty, or rudely arrogant.

Paranoid

exhibiting or characterized irrational fear or distrust.

Patronizing

 displaying or indicative of a condescending manner or tone.

Pedantic

 ostentatious in one’s learning; overly concerned with minute details, esp. in teaching.

Penitent

feeling or expressing sorrow wrongdoing or sin; repentant; contrite.

Pensive

expressing or revealing thoughtfulness, usually marked by some sadness.

Petty

 of little or no importance or consequence.

Placid

pleasantly calm or peaceful.

Playful

pleasantly humorous or jesting.

Poignant

keen or strong in mental appeal.

Pretentious

characterized by assumption of importance or dignity.

Provocative

tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; inciting, stimulating, irritating, or vexing.

Reassuring

to restore to assurance or confidence.

Recalcitrant

resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory.

Reminiscent

awakening memories of something similar; suggestive.

Resigned

submissive or acquiescent.

Respectful

full of, characterized by, or showing politeness or deference.

Reticent

disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved; restrained.

Reverent

deeply respectful; showing great esteem

Righteous

believing one’s self to be morally right and just; guiltless.

Romantic

characterized by a preoccupation with love; imbued with or dominated by idealism, a desire for adventure, chivalry, etc.

Sanguine

cheerfully hopeful, or confident.

Sardonic

characterized by scorn; mocking; cynical; sneering.

Satirical

 exposing ridicule or derision.

Scholarly

concerned with academic learning and research.

 Self-depreciating

belittling or undervaluing oneself; excessively modest.

Sentimental

overly emotional; mawkishly susceptible or tender.

Skeptical

marked by or given to doubt; questioning.

Solemn

grave, sober, or mirthless, as a person, the face, speech, tone, or mood.

Sophomoric

intellectually pretentious, overconfident, conceited; immature.

Speculative

theoretical, rather than practical.

Stately

imposing in elegance.

Stolid

not easily stirred or moved mentally; unemotional.

Straightforward

direct; not roundabout; free from deceit; honest.

Strident

 making or having a harsh sound; grating.

Suspenseful

characterized by or causing suspense.

Suspicious

openly distrustful.

Sympathetic

characterized by, proceeding from, exhibiting, or feeling sympathy; sympathizing; compassionate.

Terse

neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language.

Thoughtful

Showing consideration for others; contemplative; meditative; reflective.

Vexed

irritated; annoyed.

Vitriolic

 very caustic; scathing.

Wistful

characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning; pensive.

Zealous

ardently active, devoted, or diligent.