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Tone Adjectives
What Are the Different Kinds of Tone Adjectives?
There can be positive tones, negative tones, or neutral tone adjectives to help describe the way in which your speaker is using the words. Then there are a whole different set of other tone adjectives that give more detail towards the way in which something is said.
All of them give details as to the way in which the speaker or narrator is feeling or how they are delivering information.
What Do Tone Adjectives Do in a Sentence?
The choice of tone adjective can completely alter the meaning of a sentence.
For example:
| Positive | The author’s description of the man was sympathetic. |
|---|---|
| Negative | The author’s description of the man was absurd. |
| Neutral | The author’s description of the man was frank. |
| Other | The author’s description of the man was mysterious. |
What Are Some Examples of Tone Adjectives?
Here is a great list of tone adjectives you can use in your writing:
| POSITIVE | NEUTRAL | NEGATIVE | OTHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| agreeable | ambivalent | annoyed | ardent |
| animated | ambiguous | bitter | cautionary |
| bright | candid | disgruntled | conciliatory |
| clever | casual | disgusted | didactic |
| devoted | cautionary | evil | light |
| encouraging | conservative | guilty | mysterious |
| enlightened | conversational | heavy | potential |
| fresh | democratic | hostile | pessimistic |
| gentle | direct | hurtful | religious |
| kind | indifferent | nasty | resigned |
| loving | knowledgeable | obnoxious | satirical |
| open | liberal | oppressive | secretive |
| pleased | questioning | overbearing | sly |
| supportive | pragmatic | resentful | somber |
| sympathetic | reflective | sarcastic | social |
| warm | serious | sardonic | suspicious |
| zealous | straightforward | stern | worried |
Within each of these categories are other divisions that can define tone. For example, here is a list of more specific words.
| HAPPY | SAD | SERIOUS | HUMOROUS/SARCASTIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| affable | bleak | apathetic | amused |
| benevolent | contemptuous | austere | callous |
| compassionate | disparaging | compliant | caustic |
| dignified | disgruntled | condescending | condescending |
| exhilarated | dismal | contemptuous | derisive |
| excited | gloomy | critical | desperate |
| exuberant | macabre | demeaning | egotistical |
| fanciful | melancholy | depressing | facetious |
| festive | mournful | forthright | patronizing |
| jovial | morose | grave | playful |
| jolly | resentful | pensive | quizzical |
| inspirational | resigned | philosophical | mocking |
| lyrical | restrained | pragmatic | ribald |
| merry | reverent | sedate | sardonic |
| optimistic | tragic | solemn | satiric |
| playful | uneasy | unassuming | whimsical |
| serene | upset | virtuous | witty |
