Vocabulary Flashcards: Descriptive Words for Emotions and Attitudes

irreverent

lacking proper respect or seriousness

languorous

full of or characterized by weakness or weariness of body or mind

laudatory

of, relating to, or expressing praise

melancholy

a depression of spirits / a pensive mood

naïve

marked by unaffected simplicity

nostalgic

longing for or thinking fondly of a past condition / time

poignant

painfully affecting the feelings / designed to make an impression

reminiscing

to indulge in recall to mind of a long-forgotten experience

reticent

inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech

reverent

expressing or characterized by honor or respect felt or shown

sarcastic

having the character of a sharp & often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain

satirical

of, relating to, or constituting trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly

somber

So shaded as to be dark or gloomy, of a dismal or depressing character

strident

characterized by harsh, insistent, and discordant sound

subdued

lacking in vitality, intensity, or strength

understated

avoiding obvious emphasis or embellishment

vexed

feeling or showing irritation, annoyance, or distress

whimsical

resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice, subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change

wry

to pull out of or as if out of proper shape; make awry, bent twisted or turned usually abnormally to one side

zealous

marked by reverent partisanship for a person, cause, or an ideal: filled with or characterized by eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit