AP Lang Tone words

10/31/25 tone vocab quiz

mournful

feeling or expressing sorrow or grief. Melancholy

jovial

marked by hearty conviviality, cheerful, friendly, good humored

lofty

of imposing height, elevated in character, rank, dignity, pompous, arrogant, haughty

benevolent

characterized or suggestive of doing good. Concerned with or organized for the benefit of charity

candid

free from prejudice, impartial, open, sincere, unreserved, not posed or rehearsed.

ambivalent

the coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings, uncertainty or indecisiveness as to which course to follow

tentative

not fully worked out, provisional, uncertain, hesitant

hostile

showing enmity or ill will. antagonistic or inhospital

ghoulish

delighting in the revolting or loathsome (morbid). Like an evil spirit that plunders graves and feeds on corpses

obscure

deficient in light, dim, inconspicuous, not cleary understood, vague or ambiguous

didactic

intended to teach or instruct (especially in a patronizing matter)

enigmatic

puzzling, inexplicable

pugnacious

combative in nature, belligerent

sardonic

scornfully or cynically mocking

derogatory 

disparaging, belittling, tending to detract or diminish

reverent 

deeply respectful, worshipful, showing great esteem

poignant

profoundly moving, touching, keenly distressing to mind or feelings, piercing, intense (but in a good way)

nostalgic 

bittersweet longing for things of past, homesick

bleak

gloomy, dreary, depressing. providing no encouragement, cold.

ebullient

zestfully enthusiastic, boiling or seeming to boil; bubbling

insipid

lacking in flavor, dull, without interesting or stimulating qualities

solemn

deeply earnest, serious, sober, somber

unctuous

excessively flattering, marked by a smug, false earnestness, oily or greasy in texture or appearance

flippant

frivolously disrespectful, sassy. Lacking in seriousness