English Tone Words

  1. Abashed – humiliated with dismay and shame, fully humbled and mortified
  2. Abhorring: regard with extreme repugnance, aversion; utterly detest; loath; abominate
  3. abstruse - difficult to understand
  4. absurd – ridiculously silly
  5. accusatory - charging of wrong doing
  6. acerbic — biting with critical, caustic with barbed commentary
  7. allusive - containing or characterized by indirect references
  8. ambivalent – inability to make a choice
  9. antagonistic – opposition with hostility
    1. apathetic - indifferent due to lack of energy or concern
    2. apologetic - self-deprecating; humble
    3. apprehensive – uneasily fearful about what is to happen
    4. ardent – intensely passionate with zeal, intense devotion, vehemently and fiercely so
    5. assertive—emphatic with forceful confidence, firm and insistent
    6. audacious - fearlessly, often recklessly daring; bold
    7. authentic—genuine and valid with realistic and dependable straightforwardness
    8. authoritarian – with an air of all-knowing, but to the point of egotistical, overbearing, domineering
    9. bantering – good-humoured, playful conversation
    10. befuddled - confused or perplexed
    11. belligerent - hostile or eager to fight, given to waging war
    12. bemused – lost in thought, preoccupied
    13. benevolent - characterized by or suggestive of doing good, kindly feelings
    14. bewilder – make unclear or indistinct
    15. bitter-exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief
    16. blithe – joyous, merry, cheerful
    17. bombastic—pretentiously overbearing in an affected, pompous manner—overly verbose (irony here?)
    18. brusque – abrupt, blunt, rough in manner
    19. callous-unfeeling, insensitive to feelings of others
    20. candid—sincere and outspoken without subterfuge
    21. capricious – flighty, led by whims, erratic (mercurial is a little more inconstant and unpredictable)
    22. celebratory – seeming or tending indifference, apathetic unconcerned
    23. choleric-hot-tempered, easily angered
    24. choleric—irritable or easily angered
    25. complimentary - filled with praise and compliments
    26. conciliatory – pacifying, assuaging, mollifying and appeasing
    27. condescending-a feeling of superiority
    28. contemplative-studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue
    29. contemptuous-showing or feeling that something is worthless or lacks respect, disdain and scornful
    30. contentious—tending to quarrel with strife and controversy
    31. conventional-lacking spontaneity, originality, and individuality
    32. critical-finding fault
    33. curt—rudely brief in speech, terse, laconic
    34. cynical-questions the basic sincerity and goodness of people
    35. defiant - boldly resisting
    36. derisive-ridiculing, mocking
    37. derogatory—lessening the merit with disparaging remarks
    38. desperate—reckless or dangerous urgency and despair
    39. detached - separated; disconnected
    40. didactic – morally educational, enlightening, instructive
    41. dignified - expressing formality
    42. disdainful-scornful
    43. disinterested—fair-minded, impartial, neutral and objective without prejudice
    44. disparaging - to reduce in esteem or rank; to belittle
    45. domineering—overbearing and tyrannical
    46. earnest-intense, a sincere state of mind
    47. ebullient – jovial and enthusiastic (effusive, proud, complimentary)
    48. elegiac—lamentation or sorrowful
    49. erudite-learned, polished, scholarly
    50. euphoric—bliss, happiness, almost manic with confidence and well-being
    51. evasive – avoiding with equivocation, prevarication (allusive, understated, indirect, allusive)
    52. fanciful-using the imagination
    53. farcical—ludicrous, absurd with mocking and humourous tones and highly improbable
    54. fervent: having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, ardent
    55. flippant – statements that are dismissive, and condescending irreverent, facetious
    56. formal—using accepted styles, rules often stiff and objective
    57. forthright-directly frank without hesitation
    58. frivolous - unworthy of serious attention; trivial
    59. furtive—secretive, cautious, surreptitious, sly
    60. garrulous—the opposite of taciturn, loquacious and chatty
    61. giddy - frivolous and light-hearted; flighty
    62. haughty-proud and vain to the point of arrogance
    63. histrionic—over the top drama
    64. holier-than-thou—obnoxiously pious, sanctimonious and self-righteous
    65. impartial - without bias or prejudice
    66. impertinent: insolently rude, uncivil
    67. impudent—ill-mannered, brazen and disrespectful like most typical teens
    68. incredulous - sceptical or disbelieving
    69. indifference—apathetic and disinterested, without any concern, dismissive
    70. indignant-marked by anger aroused by injustice
    71. inflammatory—arousing anger, hostile with passion
    72. insipid—without distinctive or interesting or stimulating qualities, vapid
    73. intimate-very familiar, associated in close personal relations, private, detailed
    74. introspective – given to examining reflectively one’s own sensory and perceptual experiences
    75. irascible – easily provoked to anger, irritable
    76. irreverent – showing lack of due respect or veneration, facetious without care
    77. jocund—cheerful and gladly blithe
    78. jovial-happy
    79. judgmental-authoritative and often having critical opinions
    80. laudatory: containing or expressing praise
    81. lighthearted—cheerful and carefree
    82. lugubrious – melancholy, morose, dismal
    83. lyrical-expressing a poet’s inner feelings; emotional; full of images; song-like
    84. malicious-purposely hurtful
    85. matter-of-fact--accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional, impartial, objective
    86. mocking-treating with contempt or ridicule (mock-heroic=imitating that which is heroic to exaggerate its ridiculousness)
    87. modest—moderate humility of one’s merits; free from ostentation or vanity or boastfulness
    88. moralistic—displaying concern for ethics; conventionally strict to morals
    89. morose-gloomy, sullen, surly, despondent
    90. nonchalant—flippant, very casual, offhanded, dispassionate and detached with a laidback attitude
    91. nostalgic - a bittersweet longing for conditions of the past, wistful (pensive yearning), sentimental (weakly emotional and tender, mawkishly susceptible), tenderly reminiscent
    92. obdurate—stubborn to the point of being pig-headed and unfeeling
    93. obfuscating – complicating in order to obscure
    94. objective-an unbiased view-able to leave personal judgments aside
    95. obsequiously—sycophantically servile with grovelingly, sickeningly sweet courteousness
    96. ominous—portending evil or harm; inauspicious foreboding sense
    97. optimistic-hopeful, cheerful
    98. oratorical – lecturing with melodrama, bold and dramatic
    99. overbearing—domineering, dictatorial, haughtily rude and arrogant
    100. patronizing-air of condescension, contemptuous, supercilious, haughty, superior
    101. peaceful - calm and even-tempered
    102. pedantic – plodding, arcane, dull, sophistic, ostentatious and overly concerned with minutiae in teaching
    103. penitent—ignominious, apologetic and full of regret wanting forgiveness
    104. pensive—thoughtful, reflective, preoccupied and absorbed or engrossed in thought; distracted because of it
    105. pessimistic-seeing the worst side of things; no hope
    106. petty—critical with little or no importance or consequence, niggling
    107. pity—commiserate and console with compassion and shame
    108. placid—pleasantly calm, peaceful and tranquil, serene
    109. playful—pleasantly humourous or jesting
    110. poignant - astute and pertinent; relevant
    111. pragmatic – no-nonsense, down-to-earth practicality
    112. pretentious - making an extravagant outward show, elevated, bombastic, pompous
    113. pretentious—characterized by assumption of dignity or importance
    114. proud—feeling pressure or satisfaction because of a highly honourable feat
    115. provocative - tending to provoke or stimulate or entice,
    116. quizzical-odd, eccentric, amusing
    117. reassuring—restore assurance and confidence in one
    118. recalcitrant: resisting authority; not obedient; refractory
    119. reflective-illustrating innermost thoughts and emotions
    120. resigned – submissive, preparing to accept, calm, reticent
    121. reticent - reluctant or unwilling, disposed to be silent and restrained; recalcitrant resists authoritative control with impudence, not compliant; refractory
    122. reverent-treating a subject with honor and respect, with deference (held in esteem and regard)
    123. ribald-offensive in speech or gesture
    124. ridiculing-slightly contemptuous banter; making fun of
    125. righteous - without guilt or sin
    126. romantic—preoccupied with idealized sense of love; imbued by idealism, a desire for ridiculous adventure and chivalry
    127. sanguine-having conformation and temperament characteristically cheerful and optimistic (but also florid or ruddy if used as a noun)
    128. sanguineous -bloodthirsty (but also having the colour red)
    129. sarcastic-sneering, caustic, acerbic, strident, irascible, indignant, intensely biting, stinging, vitriolic verbiage abounds scathingly
    130. sardonic-scornfully and bitterly sarcastic , mocking, sly, wry, deviously misdirected
    131. satiric-ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, teach, critical
    132. self-depreciating – belittling or undervaluing with excessive modesty (self-deprecating admits self disapproval, but taken to mean the same thing and more commonly used)
    133. sentimental—weakly emotional; mawkishly susceptible or tender
    134. sincere-without deceit or pretense; genuine (straightforward, direct, candid), free from reservation, disguise or subterfuge
    135. sinister – threatening or portending evil, harm; ominous
    136. sly—cunning or wily with some insidious stealthy secretive expression
    137. solemn—grave, sober, mirthless, somber
    138. sophomoric—pretentious and overconfident (think know-it-all sophomore); conceited, but immature
    139. soporific—sleep inducing, interminable monotony
    140. sprightly—animated, vivacious and lively
    141. stately—majestic, imposing in magnificence and elegance
    142. stolid – not easily moved; unemotional and impassive
    143. straightforward—direct, free from crookedness or deceit; honest without judgment
    144. strident – making or having a grating sound of authority by overpowering
    145. subdued – with low-key restraint, possibly an air of surrender
    146. supercilious—condescending with patronizing scornful arrogance
    147. sympathetic—supportive, benevolent with sensitivity
    148. taciturn—reticent and reserved an individual remains distant and uncommunicative
    149. tantalizing – tempting with allure, enticing
    150. taunting—reproach in a mocking or contemptuous manner
    151. tender—soft or delicately
    152. terse—neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy (as diction)
    153. timorous – full of fear; fearful
    154. tranquil – free from commotion; full of peace, serene and unruffled, placid
    155. transcendental – ineffably exalted to that of the divine, ethereal, numinous with otherworldly descriptions
    156. unconcerned—not caring; free from solicitude or anxiety
    157. understated—restraint in design and presentation; low-key
    158. uninterested—remote blasé with no concern or passion; casually dispassionate and aloof
    159. urgent – with pressing insistence
    160. vexed - annoyed, bothered, puzzled, ambivalent and uncertain, nonplussed
    161. vibrant-full of life
    162. vindictive—revengeful, spiteful, bitter and unforgiving
    163. vitality—with animated verve, vigor, liveliness and vivacity
    164. vitriolic—scathingly caustic
    165. whimsical—delightfully eccentric, oddity, but fantastic fun
    166. wistful—contemplative with melancholy longing
    167. worshipful—showing adoration; great reverence
    168. wrathful—vehemently incensed and condemnatory; ireful
    169. wry—devious in course or purpose; misdirected; distorted or perverted (as in meaning); bitterly or disdainfully ironic or amusing
    170. yearning—aching with nostalgic desire
    171. zealous—ardently active devoted or diligent