155 Words to Describe Author's Tone
155 Words To Describe An Author’s Tone
Tone |
Meaning |
| Absurd | illogical; ridiculous; silly; implausible; foolish |
| Accusatory | suggesting someone has done something wrong, complaining |
| Acerbic | sharp; forthright; biting; hurtful; abrasive; severe |
| Admiring | approving; think highly of; respectful; praising |
| Aggressive | hostile; determined; forceful; argumentative |
| Aggrieved | indignant; annoyed; offended; disgruntled |
| Ambivalent | having mixed feelings; uncertain; in a dilemma; undecided |
| Amused | entertained; diverted; pleased |
| Angry | incensed or enraged; threatening or menacing |
| Animated | full of life or excitement; lively; spirited; impassioned; vibrant |
| Apathetic | showing little interest; lacking concern; indifferent; unemotional |
| Apologetic | full of regret; repentant; remorseful; acknowledging failure |
| Appreciative | grateful; thankful; showing pleasure; enthusiastic |
| Ardent | enthusiastic; passionate |
| Arrogant | pompous; disdainful; overbearing; condescending; vain; scoffing |
| Assertive | self-confident; strong-willed; authoritative; insistent |
| Awestruck | amazed, filled with wonder/awe; reverential |
| Belligerent | hostile; aggressive; combatant |
| Benevolent | sympathetic; tolerant; generous; caring; well meaning |
| Bitter | angry; acrimonious; antagonistic; spiteful; nasty |
| Callous | cruel disregard; unfeeling; uncaring; indifferent; ruthless |
| Candid | truthful, straightforward; honest; unreserved |
| Caustic | making biting, corrosive comments; critical |
| Cautionary | gives warning; raises awareness; reminding |
| Celebratory | praising; pay tribute to; glorify; honour |
| Chatty | informal; lively; conversational; familiar |
| Colloquial | familiar; everyday language; informal; colloquial; casual |
| Comic | humorous; witty; entertaining; diverting |
| Compassionate | sympathetic; empathetic; warm-hearted; tolerant; kind |
| Complex | having many varying characteristics; complicated |
| Compliant | agree or obey rules; acquiescent; flexible; submissive |
| Concerned | worried; anxious; apprehensive |
| Conciliatory | intended to placate or pacify; appeasing |
| Condescending | stooping to the level of one’s inferiors; patronising |
| Confused | unable to think clearly; bewildered; vague |
| Contemptuous | showing contempt; scornful; insolent; mocking |
| Critical | finding fault; disapproving; scathing; criticising |
| Cruel | causing pain and suffering; unkind; spiteful; severe |
| Curious | wanting to find out more; inquisitive; questioning |
| Cynical | scornful of motives/virtues of others; mocking; sneering |
| Defensive | defending a position; shielding; guarding; watchful |
| Defiant | obstinate; argumentative; defiant; contentious |
| Demeaning | disrespectful; undignified |
| Depressing | sad, melancholic; discouraging; pessimistic |
| Derisive | snide; sarcastic; mocking; dismissive; scornful |
| Detached | aloof; objective; unfeeling; distant |
| Dignified | serious; respectful; formal; proper |
| Diplomatic | tactful; subtle; sensitive; thoughtful |
| Disapproving | displeased; critical; condemnatory |
| Disheartening | discouraging; demoralising; undermining; depressing |
| Disparaging | dismissive; critical; scornful |
| Direct | straightforward; honest |
| Disappointed | discouraged; unhappy because something has gone wrong |
| Dispassionate | impartial; indifferent; unsentimental; cold; unsympathetic |
| Distressing | heart-breaking; sad; troubling |
| Docile | compliant; submissive; deferential; accommodating |
| Earnest | showing deep sincerity or feeling; serious |
| Egotistical | self-absorbed; selfish; conceited; boastful |
| Empathetic | understanding; kind; sensitive |
| Encouraging | optimistic; supportive |
| Enthusiastic | excited; energetic |
| Evasive | ambiguous; cryptic; unclear |
| Excited | emotionally aroused; stirred |
| Facetious | inappropriate; flippant |
| Farcical | ludicrous; absurd; mocking; humorous and highly improbable |
| Flippant | superficial; glib; shallow; thoughtless; frivolous |
| Forceful | powerful; energetic; confident; assertive |
| Formal | respectful; stilted; factual; following accepted styles/rules |
| Frank | honest; direct; plain; matter-of-fact |
| Frustrated | annoyed; discouraged |
| Gentle | kind; considerate; mild; soft |
| Ghoulish | delighting in the revolting or the loathsome |
| Grim | serious; gloomy; depressing; lacking humour;macabre |
| Gullible | naïve; innocent; ignorant |
| Hard | unfeeling; hard-hearted; unyielding |
| Humble | deferential; modest |
| Humorous | amusing; entertaining; playful |
| Hypercritical | unreasonably critical; hair splitting; nitpicking |
| Impartial | unbiased; neutral; objective |
| Impassioned | filled with emotion; ardent |
| Imploring | pleading; begging |
| Impressionable | trusting; child-like |
| Inane | silly; foolish; stupid; nonsensical |
| Incensed | enraged |
| Incredulous | disbelieving; unconvinced; questioning; suspicious |
| Indignant | annoyed; angry; dissatisfied |
| Informative | instructive; factual; educational |
| Inspirational | encouraging; reassuring |
| Intense | earnest; passionate; concentrated; deeply felt |
| Intimate | familiar; informal; confidential; confessional |
| Ironic | the opposite of what is meant |
| Irreverent | lacking respect for things that are generally taken seriously |
| Jaded | bored; having had too much of the same thing; lack enthusiasm |
| Joyful | positive; optimistic; cheerful; elated |
| Judgmental | critical; finding fault; disparaging |
| Laudatory | praising; recommending |
| Light-Hearted | carefree; relaxed; chatty; humorous |
| Loving | affectionate; showing intense, deep concern |
| Macabre | gruesome; horrifying; frightening |
| Malicious | desiring to harm others or to see others suffer; ill-willed; spiteful |
| Mean-Spirited | inconsiderate; unsympathetic |
| Mocking | scornful; ridiculing; making fun of someone |
| Mourning | grieving; lamenting; woeful |
| Naïve | innocent; unsophisticated; immature |
| Narcissistic | self-admiring; selfish; boastful; self-pitying |
| Nasty | unpleasant; unkind; disagreeable; abusive |
| Negative | unhappy, pessimistic |
| Nostalgic | thinking about the past; wishing for something from the past |
| Objective | without prejudice; without discrimination; fair; based on fact |
| Obsequious | overly obedient and/or submissive; fawning; grovelling |
| Optimistic | hopeful; cheerful |
| Outraged | angered and resentful; furious; extremely angered |
| Outspoken | frank; candid; spoken without reserve |
| Pathetic | expressing pity, sympathy, tenderness |
| Patronising | condescending; scornful; pompous |
| Pensive | reflective; introspective; philosophical; contemplative |
| Persuasive | convincing; eloquent; influential; plausible |
| Pessimistic | seeing the negative side of things |
| Philosophical | theoretical; analytical; rational; logical |
| Playful | full of fun and good spirits; humorous; jesting |
| Pragmatic | realistic; sensible |
| Pretentious | affected; artificial; grandiose; rhetorical; flashy |
| Regretful | apologetic; remorseful |
| Resentful | aggrieved; offended; displeased; bitter |
| Resigned | accepting; unhappy |
| Restrained | controlled; quiet; unemotional |
| Reverent | showing deep respect and esteem |
| Righteous | morally right and just; guiltless; pious; god-fearing |
| Satirical | making fun to show a weakness; ridiculing; derisive |
| Sarcastic | scornful; mocking; ridiculing |
| Scathing | critical; stinging; unsparing; harsh |
| Scornful | expressing contempt or derision; scathing; dismissive |
| Sensationalistic | provocative; inaccurate; distasteful |
| Sentimental | thinking about feelings, especially when remembering the past |
| Sincere | honest; truthful; earnest |
| Sceptical | disbelieving; unconvinced; doubting |
| Solemn | not funny; in earnest; serious |
| Subjective | prejudiced; biased |
| Submissive | compliant; passive; accommodating; obedient |
| Sulking | bad-tempered; grumpy; resentful; sullen |
| Sympathetic | compassionate; understanding of how someone feels |
| Thoughtful | reflective; serious; absorbed |
| Tolerant | open-minded; charitable; patient; sympathetic; lenient |
| Tragic | disastrous; calamitous |
| Unassuming | modest; self-effacing; restrained |
| Uneasy | worried; uncomfortable; edgy; nervous |
| Urgent | insistent; saying something must be done soon |
| Vindictive | vengeful; spiteful; bitter; unforgiving |
| Virtuous | lawful; righteous; moral; upstanding |
| Whimsical | quaint; playful; mischievous; offbeat |
| Witty | clever; quick-witted; entertaining |
| Wonder | awe-struck; admiring; fascinating |
| World-Weary | bored; cynical; tired |
| Worried | anxious; stressed; fearful |
| Wretched |
miserable; despairing; sorrowful; distressed |
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