tone words



Tone is identified by adjectives, and the possibilities are nearly endless.  Often a single adjective will not be enough, and tone may change or shift from chapter to chapter or stanza to stanza or even line to line.  Tone is the result of allusion, diction, figurative language, imagery, irony, motif, symbol, syntax, and style. 

Very young children can sense a speaker’s attitude in tone.  But understanding tone in prose and poetry is an entirely different matter.  The reader does not have voice inflection to carry meaning.  Thus, a student’s appreciation (knowledge) of word choice, details, imagery, and language all contribute to the understanding of tone.   To misinterpret tone is to misinterpret meaning.

Atmosphere:  the feeling experience BY THE READER OR AUDIENCE.

Tone:              the attitude OF THE AUTHOR toward the subject matter of the work.

Mood:  defined by some critics as synonymous with “atmosphere,” by others as synonymous with
                        “tone”…as a general term, it can be applied to either.
                                                -from the Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms


Here is a list of words you may consider using to describe tone.  

PLEASE NOTE: There are many, many more choices where these came from.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE: This list isn't for you to memorize or worry about.  It is a resource for you to use so that you can capture the essence of what you read and communicate effectively with your audience.  If you see a word you don't know-- and you will-- please look it up.  Plan on adding 5-10 words to your vocabulary so that you can use them in your essays next week.

abashed
abhorring
abrasive
abusive
accusatory
acerbic
acquiescent
accepting
acerbic
admiring
adoring
affectionate
aghast
agitated
aggressive
allusive
aloof
ambiguous
ambivalent
amused
angry
annoyed
antagonistic
anxious
apathetic
apologetic
appreciative
apprehensive
approving
ardent
arrogant
audacious
authoritarian
awestruck
baffled
bantering
begrudging
belligerent
bemused
benevolent
bewildered
biting
bitter
blithe
blunt
boastful
bored
bossy
brisk
bristling
brusque
burlesque
callous
calm
candid
caressing
casual
caustic
cavalier
celebratory
ceremonial
challenging
cheerful
childish
child-like
choleric
clandestine
clinical
clipped
cold
colloquial
comforting
comic
commanding
compassionate
complacent
complex
complicated
complimentary
conceited
concerned
conciliatory
condemning
condescending
confident
confused
contemplative
contemptuous
contented
contentious
conventional
conversational
coy
critical
curt
cutting
cynical
defamatory
defensive
dejected
delicate
delightful
demanding
denunciatory
depressed
depressing
derisive
derogatory
desolate
despairing
desperate
despondent
detached
diabolic
didactic
difficult
diffident
dignified
direct
disappointed
disdainful
disgusted
disinterested
disliking
disparaging
disrespectful
distracted
doubtful
dramatic
dreamy
dreary
dry
earnest
easy
ebullient
ecstatic
effusive
elated
elegiac
elevated
eloquent
embarrassed
embittered
emotional
empathetic
encouraging
enraged
enthusiastic
entranced
erudite
eulogistic
euphoric
evasive
exasperated
excited
exhilarated
expectant
expert
extravagant
exultant
facetious
factual
familiar
fanciful
fatalistic
fearful
fervent
flippant
forceful
foreboding
formal
forthright
frantic
friendly
frightened
frivolous
funny
furious
ghoulish
giddy
gleeful
gloomy
glum
grand
grave
greedy
grim
grotesque
guarded
guilty
gushy
happy
harsh
hateful
haughty
hilarious
holier-than-thou
hollow
hopeful
hopeless
horrified
hostile
humorous
hurt
hyperbolic
impartial
impassive
impatient
impervious
incisive
incredulous
indifferent
indignant
indirect
indulgent
inflammatory
informal
informative
innocent
insecure
insipid
insistent
insolent
inspirational
inspiring
instructive
insulting
interested
intimate
intolerant
introspective
irate
ironic
irreverent
irritated
jealous
jocund
jovial
joyful
joyous
judgmental
laidback
languid
languorous
laudatory
learned
lethargic
light (light-hearted)
lingering
lively
lofty
loving
ludicrous
lugubrious
lyrical
malicious
marveling
matter-of-fact
meditative
melancholic
mirthful
mischievous
miserable
mock-heroic
mocking
moderate
modest
moralistic
morose
motivated
mournful
mysterious
naîve
nervous
nonchalant
noncommittal
nostalgic
objective
obsequious
ominous
optimistic
oratorical
outraged
outspoken
paranoid
passionate
passive
pathetic
patronizing
pedantic
pensive
perplexed
pessimistic
petty
pithy
pitiful
placid
plaintive
playful
pleading
poignant
pompous
powerful
pragmatic
pretentious
proud
provocative
psychotic
querulous
questioning
quizzical
rallying
reassuring
rebellious
reflective
regretful
relaxed
reminiscent
remorseful
reproachful
resigned
respectful
restrained
reticent
retrospective
reverent
ribald
ridiculous
risible
romantic
rueful
sad
sanctimonious
sanguine
sarcastic
sardonic
satirical
satisfied
scared
scholarly
scornful
seductive
self-assured
self-dramatizing
self-deprecating
selfish
self-justifying
self-mocking
self-pitying
self-satisfied
sentimental
sepulchral
serene
serious
severe
sharp
shocking
silly
simple
sincere
sinister
skeptical
sly
smug
solemn
somber
soothing
speculative
sprightly
stable
staid
stately
stern
stoic
stolid
straightforward
stentorian
stressful
strident
stunned
subdued
superior
suspenseful
suspicious
swaggering
sweet
sympathetic
tactful
taunting
tender
tense
terse
thoughtful
threatening
timorous
tired
tongue-in-cheek
touchy
tragic
tranquil
trenchant
trivial
turgid
unambiguous
uncaring
uncertain
unconcerned
understated
uneasy
unfriendly
unhappy
unsympathetic
upset
urgent
venerative
vexed
vibrant
violent
vitriolic
wary
whimsical
wistful
withering
worried
worshipful
wrathful
wry
zealous

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