TONE WORD LIST

Directions: Read each of the tone words below. With a green highlighter, highlight any words that have a
positive connotation. With an orange highlighter, highlight any words that have a negative
connotation. With a yellow highlighter, highlight any words that have a neutral connotation.
REMEMBER: GREEN=POSITIVE ORANGE=NEGATIVE YELLOW=NEUTRAL

Tone Meaning

accusatory blaming other people

1
agitated emotionally disturbed; perturbed
2
allusive a reference to something that is implied or inferred
3
ambivalent having conflicting feelings
4
amused entertained; thinking it is funny
5
angry mad
6
anxious worried or excited; uneasy and eager
7
apathetic indifferent; doesn't care; not interested
8
apologetic sorry
9
appreciative grateful; thankful
10
apprehensive uneasy or fearful about something that might happem
11
arrogant too proud
12
audacious extremely bold or daring; recklessly brave
13
awe solemn wonder; amazement
14
beguiling deceptive; cheating
15
bewilderment confusion
16
bitter angry or hateful
17
bored, boring not interested
18
callous insensitive
19
calm relaxed; not excited
20
 candid straightforward; blunt
21
carefree without worry; lighthearted; joyous
22
cheerful happy
23
befitting a child; the undesirable and unpleasant characteristics of a
childish
24 child
cold lacking in passion, emotion; not affectionate or friendly
25
complimentary politely flattering
26
composed calm and serene
27
concerned worried or interested
28
condescending looking down on other people; feeling superior
29
contemplative studying; thinking; reflective
30
contemptuous feeling disgrace; disrespectful; scornful
31
courteous nice; respectful
32
critical finding fault
33
cruel mean; hurtful
34
curious wanting to find out more
35
cynical questioning the truth or sincerity; skeptical
36
defensive defending; protective
37
defiant going against authority
38
depressed unhappy, sad
39
desolate solitary; lonely; dreary; dismal
40
desperate frantic; without many options
41
despondent profound hopelessness, discouragement, or gloom
42
detached disinterested; unbiased; not involved or concerned
43
determination not giving up
44
 determined not giving up
45
didactic trying to teach something
46
diplomatic trying not to offend people
47
direct straightforward; honest
48
disappointed discouraged; unhappy because something went wrong
49
disdainful scornful; insulting
50
disgusting yucky; to sicken
51
dissatisfied unhappy; not satisfied
52
dramatic theatrical
53
dreamy soothing; restful; quieting
54
earnest sincere; honest; intense
55
eccentric odd; strange; different
56
ecstatic great enthusiasm; a trancelike state of delight or ecstacy
57
egotistical thinking only about himself; self-centered
58
eloquent expressing ideas in a nice way; poetic; good with words
59
optimistic; trying to convince you to do something because of a belief
encouraging
60 that you can do it
enthusiastic excited; energetic
61
envious jealous
62
excited anxious
63
expectant waiting
64
exultant highly elated; jubilant; triumphant
65
fanciful using the imagination; imaginative
66
fearful afraid
67
formal respectful, appropriate behavior
68
 forthright direct; honest without hesitation
69
frank direct and unreserved in speech; straightforward; without inhibition
70
fretful worried, annoyed or discontent
71
friendly the way a person treats friends
72
frivolous self-indulgently carefree; lacking any serious purpose
73
frustrated angry because of not being able to do something
74
funny humorous; amusing
75
gentle not hurtful; careful
76
giddy frivolous and lighthearted; impulsive; flighty
77
gloomy dark; sad; depressed
78
happy cheerful; in a good mood
79
hateful hating something or someone; angry hate
80
haughty proud; vain; arrogant
81
hesitant lacking readiness; undecided
82
honest truthful
83
hopeful looking forward to something; optimistic
84
hopeless without hope; despairing
85
horrific provoking horror; horrible
86
humorous funny
87
hysterical very scared
88
idealistic thinking of what is best; optimistic; not realistic
89
imaginative creative; using the imagination
90
impersonal not personal; lacking emotion or warmth
91
incensed to inflame with wrath; make angry; enrage
92
 indifferent unconcerned; not interested
93
indignant, indignation angry because something is not fair or is considered offensive
94
informal not formal; relaxed
95
innocent not guilty
96
inspirational encouraging; reassuring
97
intimate very familiar; the way one talks to close friends or family
98
ironic different than what is expected or the opposite of what is meant
99
irreverent disrespectful
100
irritated annoyed
101
jittery extremely tense and nervous; jumpy
102
jovial happy
103
judgmental judging others; critical
104
lackadaisical lazy
105
lethargic sleepy
106
lighthearted happy, carefree
107
lofty arrogant
108
lugubrious mournful or gloomy in an exaggerated manner
109
macabre about death
110
malevolent mean; angry; purposely hateful
111
malicious purposely hurtful; very mean
112
matter-of-fact truthful; accepting of conditions; straightforward
113
melancholy sad
114
mirthful joyful, jolly
115
mischievous playing tricks for fun
116
 mocking scornful; ridiculing; making fun of someone
117
morose gloomily or sullenly ill-humored; moody; sour; glum
118
negative unhappy; pessimistic
119
nervous worried; uneasy; anxious
120
neutral not good nor bad; not for nor against
121
nostalgic thinking about the past; wishing for something from the past
122
objective without prejudice; without discrimination; fair
123
oppressed burdened with cruel restraints; subject to a harsh exercise of power
124
optimistic hopeful; cheerful
125
outspoken expressed with frankness; free speech
126
patient willing to wait; not in a hurry
127
patronizing looking down on others; acting superior
128
pensive thinking, thoughtful
129
perplexed confused; puzzled
130
persuasive trying to convince
131
pessimistic seeing the bad side of things
132
pitiful pathetic; exhibiting suffering and misery
133
placid pleasantly calm or peaceful; tranquil
134
poetic expressing beautiful thoughts or words
135
poignant affecting or moving the emotions; sincere; heartfelt
136
full of pride in something; thinking that something is better than
proud
137 others
quizzical questioning; eccentric; odd; amusing
138
redolent suggestive or reminiscent of something
139
reflective thoughtful; meditative; thinking
140
 regret feeling bad about the past
141
relaxation, relaxed relaxed; not worried; not busy
142
relieved stop being worried
143
remorseful very sad; sorrowful; regretful
144
resentful feeling displeasure or anger at some act, remark or person
145
restrained to hold back; restricted; limited
146
reverent respectful; treating something with honor and respect
147
rude not polite
148
sneering; saying the opposite of what you mean as a way of being
sarcastic
149 unfriendly or making a point
sardonic scornful; very sarcastic
150
satirical making fun of something to show its weakness or to teach a lesson
151
scornful open contempt or disdain for something
152
sharp sly; clever in an underhand way; harsh
153
sentimental thinking about feelings, especially when remembering the past
154
serious not funny; not joking
155
sincere honest; truthful; earnest
156
snobbish acting as though one is better than everyone else; egocentric
157
solemn sad or quiet reflection
158
solitude loneliness
159
somber gloomy; depressing; dismal
160
stiff formal, serious
161
straightforward direct; honest
162
stubborn refusing to give in
163
surprised startled; amazed
164
 suspense, suspenseful wondering what will happen next
165
sympathetic compassionate; understanding of how someone feels
166
tearful sad; causing tears
167
tense nervous; emotionally or mentally straining
168
thankful grateful; giving thanks
169
threatening menacing
170
tolerant accepting of others
171
tragic very sad
172
upset distressed; agitated; disturb mentally or emotionally
173
urgent insistent; saying something must be done soon
174
vexed annoyed; confused
175
vibrant energetic; vivid; full of life
176
vindictive revengeful; wanting to get back at someone
177
whimsical playful; funny; odd
178
woeful dreadful; sorrowful; miserable
179
zealous devoted; enthusiatic; eager; passionate
180

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