The tone, or quality of feeling, conveyed by a word can range according to its general meaning. Of course, the meaning of a word sometimes changes according to its usage, but generally words have positive, negative, or neutral connotations. Take a look at this ultimate list of tone words to prepare you for the AP® English Composition Exam:
| Tone Word | Definition |
| 1. Abashed | ashamed or embarrassed; also, disconcerted |
| 2. Abhorring | to regard with extreme aversion; to loathe, or detest. |
| 3. Abstruse | difficult to understand. |
| 4. Absurd | ridiculous; silly. |
| 5. Accusatory | a tone of accusation; to accuse of a crime or offense. |
| 6. Acerbic | tone of harshness or severity. |
| 7. Acrimonious | angry and bitter. |
| 8. Admonishing | cautioning, reproving or scolding; especially in a mild and good-willed manner; reminding. |
| 9. Adoring | to regard with esteem, love, and respect; honor. |
| 10. Affectionate | showing, indicating, or characterized by affection or love. |
| 11. Affectation | speech or writing that is artificial. |
| 12. Ambiguous | open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations. |
| 13. Ambivalent | uncertainty or fluctuation, or do two opposite or conflicting things. |
| 14. Amused | pleasurably entertained, occupied, or diverted. |
| 15. Animated | vigorous or spirited. |
| 16. Annoyed | to be irritated or bothered by something or someone. |
| 17. Antagonistic | acting in opposition; opposing, esp. mutually/ hostile; unfriendly. |
| 18. Anxious | full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous/ earnestly desirous; eager. |
| 19. Apathetic | having or showing little or no emotion; indifferent or unresponsive. |
| 20. Apologetic | containing an apology or excuse for a faulty. |
| 21. Appreciative | feeling or expressing a feeling of gratitude. |
| 22. Apprehensive | fearful or uneasiness about something that might happen. |
| 23. Approving | to speak or think favorably of, to judge favorably. |
| 24. Ardent | characterized by intense feeling; passionate; fervent; intensely devoted, eager, or enthusiastic; zealous; vehement; fierce. |
| 25. Arrogant | making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming; insolently proud. |
| 26. Audacious | bold or daring; recklessly brave; fearless. |
| 27. Authoritarian | accustomed to exercising authority; peremptory; dictatorial. |
| 28. Baffled | to confuse, bewilder, or perplex. |
| 29. Bantering | playful conversation. |
| 30. Belligerent | warlike; given to waging war. |
| 31. Bemused | bewildered, confused, lost in thought; preoccupied. |
| 32. Benevolent | characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings. |
| 33. Bewildered | completely puzzled or confused; perplexed. |
| 34. Biting | sarcastic, having a biting or sarcastic tone. |
| 35. Bitter | characterized by intense antagonism or hostility. |
| 36. Blithe | joyous, merry in disposition; glad; cheerful. |
| 37. Blunt | abrupt in manner; obtuse. |
| 38. Bold | not hesitating or fearful in the face of danger or rebuff; courageous and daring. |
| 39. Boorish | possessing boring nature; tedious. |
| 40. Brisk | quick and active; sharp and or stimulating. |
| 41. Brusque | abrupt in manner; blunt; rough. |
| 42. Burlesque | an artistic composition, esp. literary or dramatic, that, for the sake of laughter, vulgarizes lofty material or treats ordinary material with mock dignity. |
| 43. Calm | free from excitement or passion; tranquil. |
| 44. Candid | frank; outspoken; open and sincere/ free from reservation, disguise, or subterfuge; straightforward. |
| 45. Capricious | flighty; led by whims; erratic. |
| 46. Casual | without definite or serious intention; careless or offhand. |
| 47. Caustic | making harsh, corrosive comments. |
| 48. Celebratory | feeling or expressing happiness and pride; glorify |
| 49. Censorious | severely critical; faultfinding. |
| 50. Ceremonial | of, pertaining to, or characterized by ceremony; formal; ritual. |
| 51. Cheerful | characterized by or expressive of good spirits or cheerfulness. |
| 52. Cheery | in good spirits. |
| 53. Choleric | extremely irritable or easily angered; irascible. |
| 54. Churlish | critical or harsh in a mean-spirited way. |
| 55. Cliché | a overused expression or idea. |
| 56. Clinical | extremely objective and realistic; dispassionately analytic; unemotionally critical. |
| 57. Colloquial | characteristic of conversation rather than formal speech or writing; also informal. |
| 58. Comforting | soothing in time of distress or conflict. |
| 59. Comic | funny; humorous. |
| 60. Commanding | imposing; having an air of superiority. |
| 61. Compassionate | having or showing compassion. |
| 62. Complex | characterized by a very complicated or involved form. |
| 63. Complicated | complex; unusually involved or tedious. |
| 64. Complimentary | conveying, or expressing a compliment. |
| 65. Conceited | having an excessively favorable opinion of one’s self or abilities. |
| 66. Concerned | interested, or having a connection or involvement. |
| 67. Conciliatory | to overcome the distrust or animosity of; appease. |
| 68. Condemnatory | to express strong disapproval. |
| 69. Condescending | showing or implying a sense of superiority; talking down to others. |
| 70. Confounded | to cause to be confused or perplexed. |
| 71. Confute | to prove to be incorrect or wrong. |
| 72. Contemptuous | scornful, showing contempt or disdain. |
| 73. Contented | satisfied, ready to accept; willing. |
| 74. Contentious | argumentative, quarrelsome. |
| 75. Conversational | spoken exchange of ideas, opinions, and feelings. |
| 76. Critical | inclined to find fault or to judge with severity. |
| 77. Curt | rudely brief in speech or abrupt; brief; concise; terse; laconic. |
| 78. Cynical | bitterly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic; sneering. |
| 79. Demanding | calling for intensive effort or attention; taxing. |
| 80. Depressed | gloomy, morose; dejected; downcast. |
| 81. Derisive | characterized by or expressing contempt; mocking. |
| 82. Derogatory | tending to lessen the merit or reputation of a person or thing; disparaging; depreciatory. |
| 83. Despairing | to be overcome by a sense of futility or defeat; defeatist. |
| 84. Desperate | having an urgent need, desire. |
| 85. Detached | impartial or objective; disinterested; unbiased/ not concerned; aloof. |
| 86. Diabolic | devilish; fiendish; outrageously wicked. |
| 87. Didactic | intended for instruction; instructive. |
| 88. Diffident | lacking confidence in one’s own ability, or worth; timid; shy. |
| 89. Direct | proceeding in a straight line or by the shortest course; straight; undeviating. |
| 90. Disappointed | depressed or discouraged by the failure of one’s hopes or expectations. |
| 91. Disbelieving | to have no belief in; refuse or reject belief in. |
| 92. Disdainful | expressing contempt or disdain. |
| 93. Disgusted | to excite nausea or loathing in. To offend the taste or moral sense of. |
| 94. Disrespectful | showing a lack of respect; rude and discourteous. |
| 95. Disturbed | marked by symptoms of mental illness. |
| 96. Dogmatic | asserting opinions in a strict, arrogant manner; opinionated. |
| 97. Domineering | overbearing; tyrannical. |
| 98. Doubtful | uncertain outcome or result. |
| 99. Dramatic | of or pertaining to drama; excessively confrontational. |
| 100. Dreary | causing sadness or gloom. |
| 101. Dubious | questionable motives, inclined to doubt. |
| 102. Earnest | serious in intention or sincerely zealous. |
| 103. Ebullient | overflowing with enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited. |
| 104. Ecstatic | in a state of ecstasy; rapturous. |
| 105. Effusive | unreserved or unduly demonstrative. |
| 106. Egotistical | vain; boastful; indifferent to the well-being of others; selfish. |
| 107. Elated | very happy or proud; jubilant; in high spirits. |
| 108. Elegiac | expressing sorrow or lamentation. |
| 109. Elevated | exalted or noble; lofty. |
| 110. Eloquent | having or exercising the power of fluency. |
| 111. Embarrassed | to feel self-conscious or ill at ease. |
| 112. Emotive | characterized by expressing or exciting emotion. |
| 113. Empathetic | showing empathy, identifying with the emotions of others. |
| 114. Enchant | to cast a spell over, bewitch. |
| 115. Endearing | inspiring affection or warmth. |
| 116. Enraged | to make extremely angry; put into a rage; infuriate. |
| 117. Enthusiastic | having or showing great excitement and interest. |
| 118. Erudite | characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly. |
| 119. Eulogistic | to praise in speech or writing, especially in the form of a eulogy. |
| 120. Euphoric | a feeling of happiness, or confidence. |
| 121. Evasive | deliberately vague or ambiguous. |
| 122. Exculpatory | acting to clear of blame or guilt. |
| 123. Exhilarated | to enliven; invigorate; stimulate/ to make cheerful or merry. |
| 124. Exhortatory | advising, urging, or earnestly. |
| 125. Expectant | marked by anticipation. |
| 126. Exuberant | uninhibitedly enthusiastic; excessively abundant. |
| 127. Facetious | not meant to be taken seriously or literally; sarcastic. |
| 128. Factual | of or pertaining to facts; concerning facts. |
| 129. Familiar | commonly known or seen; also, informal. |
| 130. Fanciful | characterized by or showing fancy; capricious or whimsical. |
| 131. Farcical | ludicrous; absurd; humorous and highly improbable. |
| 132. Fatalistic | an acceptance of events as inevitable. |
| 133. Fearful | feeling fear, or dread. |
| 134. Fervent | having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm. |
| 135. Flippant | lacking in seriousness; frivolously insincere. |
| 136. Foppish | of or characterized by vanity; dandified. |
| 137. Foreboding | a strong inner feeling or notion of a future misfortune, evil. |
| 138. Formal | stiff; using textbook style; following accepted styles, rules or ceremonies. |
| 139. Forthright | going straight to the point; frank; direct; outspoken. |
| 140. Frantic | desperate or wild with excitement, passion, fear, pain, etc.; frenzied. |
| 141. Frightened | to be filled with dread or fear. |
| 142. Frivolous | characterized by lack of seriousness. |
| 143. Frustrated | disappointed, or irritation. |
| 144. Furious | full of fury, violent passion, or rage; extremely angry. |
| 145. Gentle | kind; considerate; mild; soft. |
| 146. Ghoulish | strangely diabolical or cruel; monstrous; delighting in the revolting. |
| 147. Giddy | frivolous and lighthearted; impulsive; flighty. |
| 148. Gleeful | full of exultant joy; merry; delighted. |
| 149. Gloomy | dark or dim; hopeless or despairing; pessimistic. |
| 150. Grand | impressive in size, appearance, majestic. |
| 151. Grave | serious or solemn; feeling of threatening a seriously bad outcome or involving serious issues; critical. |
| 152. Grim | harsh, surly, forbidding, or morbid air. |
| 153. Hapless | luckless; unfortunate. |
| 154. Harsh | desolate; unpleasantly rough. |
| 155. Haughty | disdainfully proud; snobbish; supercilious. |
| 156. Hilarious | extremely funny. |
| 157. Histrionic | over the top dramatic. |
| 158. Hollow | meaningless; insincere or false. |
| 159. Hopeful | full of hope; expressing hope. |
| 160. Hopeless | providing no hope; desperate. |
| 161. Horrified | showing or indicating great shock or horror. |
| 162. Hostile | opposed in feeling, action, or character; |
| 163. Humorous | characterized by humor; funny; comical. |
| 164. Impartial | not partial or biased; fair. |
| 165. Impassioned | filled with emotion. |
| 166. Impassive | without emotion; apathetic; unmoved; calm; serene. |
| 167. Impatient | not accepting delay, opposition, pain, etc., with calm or patience. |
| 168. Impertinent | insolent, rude; uncivil. |
| 169. Impudent | characterized by impertinence or effrontery; rude. |
| 170. Incisive | remarkably clear and direct; sharp. |
| 171. Incredulous | not credulous; skeptical. |
| 172. Indifferent | without interest or concern; not caring; apathetic. |
| 173. Indignant | of or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base. |
| 174. Indirect | not in a direct course or path; deviating from a straight line; roundabout. |
| 175. Inflammatory | tending to arouse anger or hostility. |
| 176. Informal | without formality or ceremony; irregular; unofficial. |
| 177. Informative | giving information; instructive. |
| 178. Insecure | subject to self-doubt, not self-confident or assured. |
| 179. Insipid | without distinctive or interesting qualities; vapid. |
| 180. Insistent | earnest or emphatic in dwelling upon, maintaining, or demanding. |
| 181. Insolent | boldly rude or disrespectful; contemptuously impertinent; insulting. |
| 182. Instructive | serving to instruct or inform; conveying instruction, knowledge. |
| 183. Intimate | private in relations or private in nature. |
| 184. Introspective | given to examining one’s own sensory and perceptual experiences. |
| 185. Ironic | containing or exemplifying irony; coincidental; unexpected. |
| 186. Irascible | easily provoked to anger; very irritable. |
| 187. Irreverent | showing lack of respect or veneration. |
| 188. Irritated | angered, provoked, or annoyed. |
| 189. Jocund | cheerful; merry; blithe; glad. |
| 190. Jovial | endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor. |
| 191. Joyful | full of joy, as a person or one’s heart; glad; delighted. |
| 192. Joyous | joyful; happy; jubilant. |
| 193. Laudatory | containing or expressing praise. |
| 194. Learned | possessing much knowledge; scholarly. |
| 195. Lighthearted | carefree; cheerful. |
| 196. Lively | active, vigorous, or brisk/ animated, spirited, vivacious, or sprightly. |
| 197. Lofty | exalted in rank, dignity, or character; elevated in style, tone, or sentiment. |
| 198. Loving | affectionate; deep concern for someone or something. |
| 199. Ludicrous | provoking or deserving derision; ridiculous; laughable. |
| 200. Lugubrious | mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp. in an affected, exaggerated. |
| 201. Lyrical | expressing deep personal emotion or observations; Highly enthusiastic. |
| 202. Malicious | desiring harm to others or to see others suffer. |
| 203. Matter–of-fact | adhering strictly to fact; not imaginative. |
| 204. Meditative | deeply or seriously thoughtful. |
| 205. Melancholic | characterized by or causing or expressing sadness. |
| 206. Melodramatic | exaggerated or sentimental; over dramatic. |
| 207. Mirthful | joyous; jolly; arousing or provoking laughter. |
| 208. Mischievous | maliciously or playfully annoying; causing annoyance. |
| 209. Mock | pretending to be serious or disingenuous. |
| 210. Mock-heroic | imitating that which is heroic, as in manner, character, or action. |
| 211. Modest | having or showing a humility; free from ostentation or showy extravagance. |
| 212. Moralistic | characterized by or displaying a concern with morality. |
| 213. Mournful | feeling or expressing sorrow or grief; sorrowful; sad. |
| 214. Mysterious | of obscure nature, meaning, origin, etc.; puzzling; inexplicable. |
| 215. Nervous | highly excitable; unnaturally or acutely uneasy or apprehensive. |
| 216. Nonchalant | coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual. |
| 217. Nonplussed | puzzled, perplexed, or confused. |
| 218. Nostalgic | longing for past events. |
| 219. Obdurate | stubborn; unyielding; stubbornly resistant to moral influence. |
| 220. Objective | not influenced by personal feelings or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased. |
| 221. Obsequious | overly obedient or submissive. |
| 222. Ominous | foreboding; threatening; inauspicious. |
| 223. Optimistic | disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome. |
| 224. Oratorical | given to making speeches; pertaining to speech-like quality. |
| 225. Outraged | angered and resentful; indignant. |
| 226. Outspoken | frank; candid; frank. |
| 227. Overbearing | domineering; dictatorial; haughty, or rudely arrogant. |
| 228. Paranoid | exhibiting or characterized irrational fear or distrust. |
| 229. Pathetic | evoking pity, sympathetic sadness, sorrow, etc.; pitiful; pitiable. |
| 230. Patronizing | displaying or indicative of a condescending manner or tone. |
| 231. Pedantic | ostentatious in one’s learning; overly concerned with minute details, esp. in teaching. |
| 232. Penitent | feeling or expressing sorrow wrongdoing or sin; repentant; contrite. |
| 233. Pensive | expressing or revealing thoughtfulness, usually marked by some sadness. |
| 234. Pessimistic | expecting the worst possible outcome. |
| 235. Petty | of little or no importance or consequence. |
| 237. Placid | pleasantly calm or peaceful. |
| 238. Playful | pleasantly humorous or jesting. |
| 239. Poignant | keen or strong in mental appeal. |
| 240. Pompous | characterized by an ostentatious display of importance. |
| 241. Powerful | having or exerting great power or force; potent; efficacious. |
| 242. Pretentious | characterized by assumption of importance or dignity. |
| 243. Provocative | tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; inciting, stimulating, irritating, or vexing. |
| 244. Psychotic | characterized by a loss of contact with reality and inability to think rationally. |
| 245. Questioning | characterized by intellectual curiosity; inquiring. |
| 246. Reassuring | to restore to assurance or confidence. |
| 247. Recalcitrant | resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory. |
| 248. Reflective | given to, marked by, or concerned with meditation or deliberation. |
| 249. Relaxed | being free of or relieved from tension or anxiety. |
| 250. Reminiscent | awakening memories of something similar; suggestive. |
| 251. Resigned | submissive or acquiescent. |
| 252. Respectful | full of, characterized by, or showing politeness or deference. |
| 253. Restrained | to hold back or keep in check; control. |
| 254. Reticent | disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved; restrained. |
| 255. Reverent | deeply respectful; showing great esteem. |
| 256. Ridiculous | causing or worthy of ridicule or derision; absurd; preposterous; laughable. |
| 257. Righteous | believing one’s self to be morally right and just; guiltless. |
| 258. Risible | causing or capable of causing laughter; laughable; ludicrous. |
| 259. Romantic | characterized by a preoccupation with love; imbued with or dominated by idealism, a desire for adventure, chivalry, etc. |
| 260. Sanguine | cheerfully hopeful, or confident. |
| 261. Sarcastic | expressing or expressive of ridicule. |
| 262. Sardonic | characterized by scorn; mocking; cynical; sneering. |
| 263. Satiric | exposing ridicule or derision. |
| 264. Scholarly | concerned with academic learning and research. |
| 265. Scornful | expressing extreme contempt. |
| 266. Seductive | tending to entice into a desired action or state. |
| 267. Self-assured | having or showing confidence. |
| 268. Self-depreciating | belittling or undervaluing oneself; excessively modest. |
| 269. Selfish | devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare. |
| 270. Sentimental | overly emotional; mawkishly susceptible or tender. |
| 271. Serene | calm, peaceful, tranquil; unruffled. |
| 272. Serious | not funny; sincere. |
| 273. Severe | harsh; unnecessarily extreme; serious or stern in manner or appearance. |
| 274. Sharp | distinct; keen or eager; fierce or violent. |
| 276. Shocked | struck with fear, dread, or consternation. |
| 277. Shocking | causing intense surprise, disgust, horror, etc. |
| 278. Sinister | threatening or portending evil, harm, or trouble; ominous. |
| 279. Skeptical | marked by or given to doubt; questioning. |
| 280. Sly | cunning or wily; stealthy, insidious, or secretive. |
| 281. Solemn | grave, sober, or mirthless, as a person, the face, speech, tone, or mood. |
| 282. Somber | gloomy, depressing, or dismal; extremely serious; grave. |
| 283. Sophomoric | intellectually pretentious, overconfident, conceited; immature. |
| 284. Speculative | theoretical, rather than practical. |
| 285. Sprightly | animated, vivacious, or lively. |
| 286. Stable | not likely to fall or give way, as a structure, support; steady. |
| 287. Stately | imposing in elegance. |
| 288. Stern | firm, strict, hard, harsh, or severe. |
| 289. Stolid | not easily stirred or moved mentally; unemotional. |
| 290. Straightforward | direct; not roundabout; free from deceit; honest. |
| 291. Strident | making or having a harsh sound; grating. |
| 292. Subdued | quiet; inhibited; repressed; controlled. |
| 293. Supercilious | disdainful or contemptuous. |
| 294. Suspenseful | characterized by or causing suspense. |
| 295. Suspicious | openly distrustful. |
| 296. Sympathetic | characterized by, proceeding from, exhibiting, or feeling sympathy; sympathizing; compassionate. |
| 297. Taunting | to reproach in a mocking or contemptuous manner. |
| 298. Tender | not hard or tough; delicate in manner. |
| 299. Tense | stretched tight, taut; rigid; characterized by a strain upon the nerves or feelings. |
| 300 Terse | neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language. |
| 301. Thoughtful | showing consideration for others; contemplative; meditative; reflective. |
| 302. Threatening | menacing; causing alarm, as by being imminent; ominous; sinister. |
| 303. Timorous | full of fear; fearful. |
| 304. Tragic | extremely mournful, melancholy, or pathetic; dreadful, calamitous, disastrous, or fatal. |
| 305. Tranquil | free from commotion or tumult; peaceful; quiet; calm. |
| 306. Uncertain | not confident, assured, or free from hesitancy; not clearly or precisely determined; indefinite; unknown. |
| 307. Unconcerned | not involved or interested; disinterested.; not caring; unworried; free from solicitude or anxiety. |
| 308. Understated | restrained in design, presentation, etc.; low-key. |
| 309. Uneasy | not easy in body or mind; uncomfortable; restless; disturbed; perturbed. |
| 310. Vexed | irritated; annoyed. |
| 311. Vibrant | moving to and fro rapidly; vibrating. |
| 312. Vindictive | revengeful; spiteful; bitter; unforgiving. |
| 313. Vitriolic | very caustic; scathing. |
| 314. Whimsical | given to whimsy or fanciful notions; capricious. |
| 315. Wistful | characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning; pensive. |
| 316. Worshipful | showing adoration; showing great reverence. |
| 317. Wrathful | vehemently incensed and condemnatory; very angry; ireful. |
| 318. Wry | devious in course or purpose; misdirected; distorted or perverted, as in meaning; bitterly or disdainfully ironic or amusing. |
| 319. Zealous | ardently active, devoted, or diligent. |
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26 thoughts on “The Ultimate List of Tone Words for AP® English Language”
Can something have an idealistic tone?
Yes!
Is Timidly a tone word?
Seeing as diffident can be used as a tone word…timid could certainly be used as a word to describe an author’s tone.
what can be a tone word when the author is questioning their identity
Maybe dubious or skeptical from the list outlined.
Is courage a tone?
Courage is a noun so not quite; you could speak with courage though. Or be bold. Bold is an adjective that could be used to describe the tone of someone who is courageous.
Maybe it can be symbolize braver or that they’re not scared…that you can hear and feel the courage in his words. He wasn’t scared to say want he wanted, and you knew because you can here this tone or emotion in the words that were coming out of his mouth. Like it was a natural instinct.
What about hypocritical? Or anything similar?
Maybe try “pious” instead.
I belive the definition under celebratory is incorect.
Great catch — thanks! The definition of “celebratory” is fixed now.
Can progressive be considered a tone word?
It’s hard to say without having more context of what you’re trying to describe — maybe try words like “hopeful” or “ardent” instead of “progressive”.
Is responsible a tone?
Maybe try “respected” or “dignified” instead of “responsible” to describe tone.
Where are you getting these definitions from? They don’t look like any definitions in standard English language dictionaries? Thank U! 🙂
Hi Lance, thanks for asking! These definitions are largely pulled from Dictionary.com and then edited for length/clarity. I hope that helps!
What is the best tone tone to describe someone who lost their power and their questioning how it even happened.
Perhaps “forlorn” might work!
what’s a tone that has the same meaning as intense?
“Ardent” might work well!
cool ! thanks. Nice article
What does light tone mean
Hi An, great question! When a text uses a light tone, it is light-hearted and relaxed. You can think of it as the opposite of a dark, ominous tone, which implies that something bad or negative is about to happen.
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