iâm starting a series of writing masterposts! there are 4 parts and they will all contain words/phrases to use when writing, specifically in essays or summaries! hopefully some of yâall find this helpful :)
part 1 of 4 â words showing tone:Â words that portrays the authorâs tone, organized into positive, negative, and neutral categoriesÂ
this is also a great list for finding synonyms!
positive
Admiring approving; respectful; praising
Amused entertained; diverted; pleased
Animated lively; spirited; impassioned; vibrant
Appreciative grateful; thankful; enthusiastic
Ardent enthusiastic; passionate
Assertive self-confident; strong-willed; authoritative; insistent
Awestruck amazed; reverential
Benevolent sympathetic; tolerant; generous; caring;Â
Celebratory praising; glorify; honor
Chatty informal; lively; conversational; familiar
Comic humorous; witty; entertaining; diverting
Compassionate sympathetic; empathetic; warm-hearted; tolerant; kind
Diplomatic tactful; subtle; sensitive; thoughtful
Earnest [showing deep sincerity or feeling] serious
Empathetic understanding; kind; sensitive
Encouraging optimistic; supportive
Enthusiastic excited; energetic
Evasive ambiguous; cryptic; unclear
Excited emotionally aroused; stirred
Formal respectful; stilted; factual;Â
Frank honest; direct; plain; matter-of-fact
Gentle kind; considerate; mild; soft
Humble deferential; modest
Humorous amusing; entertaining; playful
Impassioned [filled with emotion] ardent
Impressionable trusting; child-like
Inspirational encouraging; reassuring
Intense earnest; passionate; concentrated; deeply felt
Intimate familiar; informal; confidential; confessional
Joyful positive; optimistic; cheerful; elated
Laudatory praising; recommending
Light-Hearted carefree; relaxed; chatty; humorous
Loving affectionate;Â
Optimistic hopeful; cheerful
Pensive reflective; introspective; philosophical; contemplative
Persuasive convincing; eloquent; influential; plausible
Philosophical theoretical; analytical; rational; logical
Playful humorous; jesting
Pragmatic realistic; sensible
Reverent [showing deep respect and esteem]
Righteous [morally right and just] guiltless; pious
Sincere honest; truthful; earnest
Sympathetic [understanding of how someone feels] compassionate
Thoughtful reflective; serious; absorbed
Tolerant open-minded; charitable; patient; sympathetic; lenient
Virtuous lawful; righteous; moral; upstanding
Whimsical quaint; playful; mischievous; offbeat
Witty clever; quick-witted; entertaining
Wonder awe-struck; admiring; fascinating
negative
Absurd illogical; ridiculous; silly; implausible; foolish
Accusatory [suggesting someone has done something wrong] complaining
Acerbic sharp; forthright; biting; hurtful; abrasive; severe
Aggressive hostile; determined; forceful; argumentative
Aggrieved indignant; annoyed; offended; disgruntled
Angry incensed; enraged; threatening; menacing
Apologetic regretful; repentant; remorseful; acknowledging failure
Arrogant pompous; disdainful; overbearing; condescending; vain; scoffing
Belligerent hostile; aggressive; combatant
Bitter angry; acrimonious; antagonistic; spiteful; nasty
Callous cruel disregard; unfeeling; uncaring; indifferent; ruthless
Caustic [making biting, corrosive comments] critical
Concerned worried; anxious; apprehensive
Condescending patronizing
Confused bewildered; vague
Contemptuous scornful; insolent; mocking
Critical finding fault; disapproving; scathing; criticizing
Cruel unkind; spiteful; severe
Cynical [scornful of motives/virtues of others] mocking; sneering
Defensive 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
Disapproving displeased; critical; condemnatory
Disheartening discouraging; demoralizing; 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
Egotistical self-absorbed; selfish; conceited; boastful
Facetious inappropriate; flippant
Farcical [humorous and highly improbable] ludicrous; absurd; mocking;Â
Flippant superficial; glib; shallow; thoughtless; frivolous
Forceful powerful; energetic; confident; assertive
Frustrated annoyed; discouraged
Ghoulish [delighting in the revolting or the loathsome]
Grim serious; gloomy; depressing; lacking humor; macabre
Gullible naĂŻve; innocent; ignorant
Hard unfeeling; hard-hearted; unyielding
Hypercritical unreasonably critical; hair splitting; nitpicking
Inane silly; foolish; stupid; nonsensical
Incensed enraged
Indignant annoyed; angry; dissatisfied
Irreverent [lacking respect for things that are generally taken seriously]
Jaded [ having had too much of the same thing] bored; lack enthusiasm
Judgmental critical; disparaging
Macabre gruesome; horrifying; frightening
Malicious [desiring to harm others or to see others suffer] ill-willed; spiteful
Mean-Spirited inconsiderate; unsympathetic
Mocking scornful; ridiculing
Mourning grieving; lamenting; woeful
NaĂŻve innocent; unsophisticated; immature
Narcissistic self-admiring; selfish; boastful; self-pitying
Nasty unpleasant; unkind; disagreeable; abusive
Negative unhappy, pessimistic
Obsequious [overly obedient and/or submissive] fawning; groveling
Outraged furious; extremely angered
Pathetic expressing pity, sympathy, tenderness
Patronising condescending; scornful; pompous
Pessimistic [seeing the negative side of things]
Pretentious affected; artificial; grandiose; rhetorical; flashy
Regretful apologetic; remorseful
Resentful aggrieved; offended; displeased; bitter
Resigned accepting; unhappy
Restrained controlled; quiet; unemotional
Satirical [making fun to show a weakness] ridiculing; derisive
Sarcastic scornful; mocking; ridiculing
Scathing critical; stinging; unsparing; harsh
Scornful scathing; dismissive
Sensationalistic provocative; inaccurate; distasteful
Skeptical disbelieving; unconvinced; doubting
Subjective prejudiced; biased
Sulking bad-tempered; grumpy; resentful; sullen
Tragic disastrous; calamitous
Uneasy worried; uncomfortable; edgy; nervous
Vindictive vengeful; spiteful; bitter; unforgiving
World-Weary bored; cynical; tired
Worried anxious; stressed; fearful
Wretched miserable; despairing; sorrowful; distressed
neutral
Ambivalent uncertain; in a dilemma; undecided
Apathetic [showing little interest] lacking concern; indifferent; unemotional
Candid truthful, straightforward; honest; unreserved
Cautionary gives warning; raises awareness; reminding
Colloquial familiar; informal; casual
Complex complicated
Compliant [agree or obey rules] acquiescent; flexible; submissive
Conciliatory [intended to placate or pacify] appeasing
Curious inquisitive; questioning
Dignified serious; respectful; formal; proper
Docile compliant; submissive; deferential; accommodating
Impartial unbiased; neutral; objective
Imploring pleading; begging
Incredulous disbelieving; unconvinced; questioning; suspicious
Informative instructive; factual; educational
Ironic [the opposite of what is meant]
Nostalgic thinking about the past; wishing for something from the past
Objective without prejudice; without discrimination; fair; based on fact
Outspoken frank; candid; spoken without reserve
Sentimental [thinking about feelings, especially when remembering the past]
Solemn not funny; in earnest; serious
Submissive compliant; passive; accommodating; obedient
Unassuming modest; self-effacing; restrained
Urgent insistent; saying something must be done soon
source
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