150+ Tone Words | Words to Describe Tone

tone-words

If you are searching for tone words, then you’ve landed on the correct page, as we have 150+ of them for you.

A story’s tone gives it structure and character. The attitude and atmosphere of a literary work are formed and portrayed via tone.

It provides the characters with a voice, both physically and metaphorically.

Tone also reveals information about a character’s personality and temperament to the reader.

However, tone influences the work as a whole, suggesting whether it should be viewed as serious, amusing, tragic, or disturbing.

How many tone words do you know?

Trying writing in several mediums is a fantastic method to discover the depths of tone.

Even if you want to get published in a short story anthology, you should also practice writing in other forms.

Without further delay, let’s start with the words to describe tone.

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Tone Words That Start with A

Absurd: wildly unreasonable, illogical.

Accusatory: suggesting that you think someone has done something bad.

Abashed: embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.

Abstruse: difficult to understand; obscure.

Acerbic: sharp and forthright.

Acrimonious: angry and bitter.

Admonishing: warn or reprimand someone firmly.

Adoring: feeling or expressing deep affection.

Affectionate: showing fondness or tenderness.

Ambiguous: not clear or decided.

Tone Words That Start with B

Baffled: totally bewilder or perplex.

Bantering: characterized by good-humored teasing.

Belligerent: hostile and aggressive.

Bemused: puzzled, confused, or bewildered.

Bewildered: perplexed and confused; very puzzled.

Biting: harsh or cruel.

Bitter: full of anger and acrimony.

Blithe: happy or carefree.

Blunt: uncompromisingly forthright.

Bold: confident and courageous.

Tone Words That Start with C

Calm: not showing nervousness or anger.

Capricious: unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.

Casual: relaxed and unconcerned.

Caustic: sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way.

Celebratory: feeling or expressing happiness and pride.

Censorious: severely critical of others.

Cheerful: noticeably happy and optimistic.

Cheery: happy and optimistic.

Choleric: bad-tempered or irritable.

Churlish: rude in a mean-spirited way.

Tone Words That Start with D

Demanding: requiring much skill or effort.

Depressed: in a state of unhappiness.

Derisive: expressing contempt or ridicule.

Diabolic: disgracefully bad or unpleasant.

Didactic: intended for instruction; instructive.

Diffident: modest or shy.

Disbelieving: feeling or expressing disbelief.

Disdainful: showing contempt or lack of respect.

Disrespectful: showing a lack of respect or courtesy.

Dogmatic: opinionated, peremptory and assertive.

Tone Words That Start with E

Earnest: serious and determined.

Ecstatic: expressing overwhelming happiness.

Effusive: expressing gratitude, pleasure, or approval.

Elated: ecstatically happy.

Elegiac: wistfully mournful.

Elevated: higher or greater than normal.

Eloquent: fluent or persuasive.

Embarrassed: feeling or showing embarrassment.

Enchant: fill with great delight; charm.

Endearing: inspiring affection.

Tone Words That Start with F

Facetious: treating serious issues with inappropriate humor.

Factual: concerned with what is the case.

Familiar: often encountered or experienced; common.

Fanciful: over-imaginative and unrealistic.

Farcical: absurd; humorous.

Fatalistic: an acceptance of events as inevitable.

Fearful: feeling or showing fear or anxiety.

Flippant: not showing a serious or respectful attitude.

Foppish: extremely interested in your appearance and wearing decorative clothes.

Frightened: afraid or anxious.

Tone Words That Start with G

Giddy: excitable and frivolous.

Gleeful: exuberantly or triumphantly joyful.

Gloomy: dark or poorly lit.

Grand: magnificent in size, or style.

Grim: very serious or gloomy.

Tone Words That Start with H

Hapless: unfortunate.

Harsh: cruel or severe.

Hilarious: extremely amusing.

Histrionic: excessively dramatic in character or style.

Hollow: without real significance or value.

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism.

Hopeless: feeling or causing despair.

Horrified: filled with horror; extremely shocked.

Hostile: showing opposition or dislike.

Humorous: causing laughter and amusement.

Tone Words That Start with I

Impartial: treating all equally.

Impassioned: filled with or showing great emotion.

Impertinent: not showing proper respect.

Incisive: intelligently analytical and clear-thinking.

Incredulous: unwilling or unable to believe something.

Indifferent: having no particular interest or sympathy.

Inflammatory: arousing angry or violent feelings.

Informal: having a relaxed or unofficial style.

Informative: providing useful or interesting information.

Tone Words That Start with J

Jocund: cheerful and light-hearted.

Jovial: cheerful and friendly.

Joyful: full of joy.

Joyous: full of happiness and joy.

Judgmental: critical; finding fault.

Tone Words That Start with L

Laudatory: expressing praise and commendation.

Lighthearted: amusing and entertaining.

Ludicrous: so foolish, unreasonable.

Lugubrious: looking or sounding sad and dismal.

Lyrical: expressing deep personal emotion.

Tone Words That Start with M

Meditative: relating to meditation or considered thought.

Melancholic: feeling or expressing pensive sadness.

Melodramatic: being exaggerated or overemotional.

Mirthful: full of mirth; merry or amusing.

Mischievous: causing or intended to cause harm or trouble.

Mock: mimic scornfully or contemptuously.

Modest: relatively moderate, limited, or small.

Moralistic: characterized by morality.

Mournful: feeling or expressing sorrow or grief.

Mysterious: difficult or impossible to understand.

Tone Words That Start with N

Nervous: easily agitated or alarmed.

Nonchalant: feeling calm and relaxed.

Nonplussed: puzzled or confused.

Nostalgic: characterized by nostalgia.

Negative: expressing denial or disagreement.

Tone Words That Start with O

Obsequious: obedient or attentive.

Ominous: threateningly inauspicious.

Oratorical: connected with skillful and effective public speaking.

Outraged: arouse fierce anger.

Outspoken: frank in stating one’s opinions.

Tone Words That Start with P

Paranoid: unreasonably anxious or mistrustful.

Pathetic: miserably inadequate.

Patronizing: displaying a condescending manner or tone.

Penitent: feeling or showing sorrow and regret.

Pessimistic: tending to see worst of things.

Petty: of little importance; trivial.

Placid: not easily upset or excited.

Playful: fond of games and amusement.

Poignant: evoking a keen sense of sadness.

Powerful: having control and influence.

Tone Words That Start with R

Reassuring: intended to remove someone’s doubts.

Recalcitrant: having an obstinately uncooperative attitude.

Reflective: characterized by deep thought.

Relaxed: free from tension and anxiety.

Reminiscent: tending to remind one of something.

Respectful: showing politeness or deference.

Restrained: characterized by reserve or moderation.

Reticent: not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings.

Ridiculous: deserving or inviting derision or mockery.

Righteous: morally right or justifiable.

Tone Words That Start with S

Sanguine: optimistic or positive.

Sarcastic: expressing or expressive ridicule.

Satiric: exposing ridicule or derision.

Scholarly: involving serious academic study.

Scornful: feeling or expressing contempt or derision.

Seductive: tempting and attractive.

Serene: calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

Serious: characterized by careful consideration.

Sharp: sudden and penetrating.

Shocked: cause to feel surprised and upset.

Tone Words That Start with T

Taunting: intended to provoke someone in an insulting manner.

Tender: showing gentleness, kindness, and affection.

Terse: sparing in the use of words.

Threatening: causing someone to feel vulnerable.

Tranquil: free from disturbance.

Tone Words That Start with V

Vexed: annoyed, frustrated, or worried.

Vibrant: full of energy and life.

Vindictive: having a strong desire for revenge.

Vitriolic: filled with bitter criticism or malice.

Virtuous: having high moral standards.

Tone Words That Start with W

Whimsical: playfully quaint or fanciful.

Wistful: showing a feeling of regretful longing.

Worshipful: showing reverence and adoration.

Wrathful: characterized by intense anger.

Worried: troubled about potential problems.

Final Thoughts on Tone Words

Thank you for a reading list of tone words.

An author’s tone in writing is their basic attitude or sentiments regarding the subject matter and audience.

Tone words are employed to convey such an attitude.

Authors communicate the tone via diction (word choice), perspective, and grammar.

Tone words are specialized terms that assist an author in describing their feelings about a topic.

Words are often associated with a good, negative, or neutral meaning.

Tone words allow writers to express whether they are favorable, negative, or neutral about what they are writing about.

A writing style is defined by tone (attitude) and voice (personality). Although you cannot change your personality, you may change your attitude.

This teaches you how to write in a manner that changes the mood of your readers. We hope you enjoyed our article about tone words.