AP English Lang/Lit Tone Words

Tone Vocabulary Words

accusatory

blaming; charging of wrong doing

admirable

inspiring or deserving praise, wonder, delight, etc.

ambivalent

simultaneous conflicting feeling towards person/thing

apathetic

indifferent due to lack of energy or concern

apologetic

showing regret; making an apology

audacious

bold, daring, brazen

awe-struck

showing solemn wonder

bantering

playfully teasing

benevolent

inclining to do good; kindliness

bitter

exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief

burlesque

comic; mocking through caricature or comic exaggeration

callous

unfeeling, insensitive to feelings of others

candid

open, Frank, sincere

caustic

intense use of sarcasm; stinging, biting

childish

like a child, immature, silly

choleric

hot-tempered, easily angered

clinical

purely scientific

cold

unfriendly, dismissive, indifferent

colloquial

using a conversational style; informal conversation

compassionate

having deep sympathy

complimentary

paying or containing a compliment

condescending

with an air of superiority

confident

with an air of confidence

confused

bewildered

contemplative

studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue

contemptuous

expressing contempt, a lack of respect, or hate

contentious

full of strife

conventional

lacking spontaneity, originality, and individuality

critical

finding fault

cynical

with an attitude of distrust of people human nature

derisive

ridiculing, mocking

derogatory

disparaging; belittling

despondent

showing extreme discouragement or depression

detached

separated; disconnected; impersonal

didactic

in a tone intended to preach a sermon or teach a lesson about life

diffident

lacking or marked by a lack of self-conofidence; shy and timid

disdainful

expressing contempt, dislike, or hate

dispassionate

devoid of or unaffected by passion, emotion, or bias

dreamy

resembling a dream; ethereal or vague; given to daydreams or reverie

earnest

intense, a sincere state of mind

effusive

unrestrained or excessive in emotional expression; gushy

elegiac

of, relating to, or involving elegy or mourning or expressing sorrow for that which is irrecoverably past

erudite

learend, polished, scholarly

euphoric

with a feeling of elation or great joy

exuberant

full of restrained enthusiasm or joy

facetious

playfully humorous

factual

of the nature of fact; real

fanciful

using the imagination

fearful

feeling or inclined to feel anxiety or apprehension; timid; nervous

flippant

dismissive and lacking proper respect

forthright

directly frank without hesitation

frivolous

lacking in seriousness

giddy

having a reeling, lightheaded sensation; dizzy

gloomy

darkness, sadness, rejection

haughtly

proud and vain to the point of arrogance

histrionic

excessively dramatic or emotional; affected.

horrific

causing horror; terrifying

hostile

extremely angry

humorous

full of or characterized by humor; funny

impartial

showing a lack of bias

incisive

impressively direct and decisive

indignant

angered at something unjust or wrong

inflammatory

arousing passion or strong emotion, especially anger, belligerence, or desire

informative

serving to inform; providing or disclosing information; instructive

insipid

lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest; dull

insolent

presumptuous and insulting in manner or speech; arrogant; audaciously rude or disrespectful; impertinent

intimate

very familiar

ironic

poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended

irreverent

lacking proper respect or seriousness

joking

something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line

jovial

happy

judgemental

authoritative and ofthen having critical opinions

laudatory

pertaining to or expressing praise

lugubrious

mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree

lyrical

expressing a poet’s inner feelings; emotional; full of images; song-like

malicious

purposely hurtful

matter-of-fact

accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional

mock-heroic

a satirical imitation or burlesque of the heroic manner or style

mocking

treating with contempt or ridicule

mock-serious

of a pretended serious look or act

moralistic

characterized by or displaying a concern with morality

morose

gloomy, sullen, surly, despondent

neutral

not aligned with, supporting, or favoring either side in a war, dispute, or contest

nostalgic

a bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of the past; the condition of being homesick; homesickness

objective

an unbiased view-able to leave personal judgements aside

obsequious

polite and obedient in order to gain something, often in a servile manner

offensive

causing anger, displeasure, resentment, or affront (in speech or gesture) ; hurtful or insulting.

ridiculing

slightly contemptuous banter; making fun of

optimistic

hopeful, cheerful

partisan

a fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea

patronizing

with an air of condescension

peaceful

undisturbed by strife, turmoil, or disagreement; tranquil

pedantic

characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules

pessimistic

seeing the worst side of things; no hope

petty

lesser, minor

pitiful

arousing contemptuous pity, as through ineptitude or inadequacy

poignant

profoundly moving; touching

pretentious

making or marked by an extravagent outward show; ostentacious

proud

feeling or showing justifiable self-respect; filled with or showing excessive self-esteem

provocative

tending to provoke or stimulate