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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