100 “Tone” words

“Tone” projects an attitude held by a writer or speaker toward (a) the subject, (b) the audience or (c) him- or herself. As such, it is best characterized in an adjective describing an expression, or in an adverb describing the way in which something is expressed. While this list in no way includes all of the tones available to human expression, it should give you a general sense of the range of possibilities.


1. accusatory

2. aggravated

3. agitated

4. ambivalent

5. angry

6. annoyed

7. anxious

8. apathetic

9. apologetic

10. appreciative

11. arrogant

12. artificial

13. authoritative

14. bitter

15. bored

16. brash

17. calm

18. catty

19. cheerful

20. coarse

21. comforting

22. combative

23. conciliatory

24. condescending

25. confused

26. consoling

27. contemptuous

28. content

29. coy

30. curt

31. cynical

32. defeated

33. defensive


34. dejected

35. demanding

36. depressed

37. desperate

38. despondent

39. disappointed

40. disgusted

41. doleful

42. dreamy

43. ecstatic

44. encouraging

45. euphoric

46. exasperated

47. excited

48. facetious

49. fearful

50. flirtatious

51. forceful

52. forgiving

53. friendly

54. frustrated

55. furious

56. guilty

57. happy

58. harsh

59. haughty

60. hesitant

61. hollow

62. hopeful

63. humble

64. humorous

65. hurt

66. indignant


67. inquisitive

68. irritated

69. ironic

70. judgmental

71. livid

72. longing

73. loving

74. melancholy

75. mocking

76. optimistic

77. paranoid

78. persuasive

79. pessimistic

80. pleading

81. pleasant

82. proud

83. resigned

84. reverent

85. rhetorical

86. sad

87. sarcastic

88. seductive

89. sharp

90 sinister

91 soothing

92. stern

93 superficial

94 surprised

95. sweet

96. sympathetic

97. tired

98. unhappy

99. whimsical

100. wistful