Words and phrases to discuss a literary work. II. Adjectives
Words and phrases to discuss a literary work
II. Adjectives
tone = speaker’s attitude

POSITIVE TONE WORDS

NEUTRAL

(+ , -, or neutral)

NEGATIVE TONE WORDS

admiring

adoring

affectionate

appreciative

approving

benevolent

calm

casual

cheerful

comforting

comic

compassionate

complimentary

conciliatory

confident

contented

delightful

earnest

ecstatic

elated

empathetic

encouraging

euphoric

excited

exhilarated

expectant

facetious

flippant

forthright

friendly

funny

gleeful

happy

mirthful

hilarious

hopeful

humorous

interested

introspective

joyful

light

lively

modest

nostalgic

optimistic

passionate

placid

playful

proud

reassuring

reflective

relaxed

respectful

reverent

romantic

scholarly

self-assured sentimental

serene

silly

straightforward

sympathetic

tender

tranquil

whimsical

wistful

worshipful

zealous

commanding

direct

impartial

indirect

meditative

objective

questioning

speculative

unambiguous

unconcerned

understated

abhorring

ambiguous

ambivalent

angry

annoyed

antagonistic

anxious

apathetic

apprehensive

belligerent

bewildered

biting

bitter

blunt

bossy

cold

conceited

condescending

confused

contemptuous

curt

cynical

demanding

depressed

derisive

derogatory

desolate

despairing

desperate

detached

diabolic

disappointed

disliking

disrespectful

doubtful

embarrassed

enraged

evasive

fatalistic

fearful

forceful

foreboding

frantic

frightened

frustrated

furious

gloomy

grave

greedy

grim

harsh

haughty

hostile

impatient

incredulous

indifferent

indignant

inflammatory

insecure

insolent

hopeless

irreverent

lethargic

melancholy

mischievous

miserable

mocking

mournful

nervous

ominous

outraged

pathetic

patronizing

pedantic

pensive

pessimistic

pretentious

resigned

reticent

sarcastic

sardonic

scornful

self-deprecating

selfish

serious

severe

sinister

skeptical

sly

solemn

somber

stern

stressful

suspicious

tense

threatening

tragic

uncertain

uneasy

unfriendly

unsympathetic

upset

violent

mood = emotional effect that
the text creates for the audience

POSITIVE MOOD WORDS

NEGATIVE MOOD WORDS

Amused

awed

calm

cheerful

confident

contemplative

content

determined

dignified

dreamy

ecstatic

energetic

enlightened

enthralled

excited

exhilarated

flirty

grateful

harmonious

hopeful

hyper

idyllic

joyous

jubilant

light-hearted

loving

mellow

nostalgic

optimistic

passionate

peaceful

playful

pleased

refreshed

rejuvenated

relaxed

relieved

satisfied

sentimental

silly

surprised

sympathetic

thankful

thoughtful

touched

trustful

vivacious

warm

welcoming

aggravated

annoyed

anxious

apathetic

apprehensive

brooding

cold

confused

cranky

crushed

cynical

depressed

desolate

disappointed

discontented

distressed

drained

dreary

embarrassed

enraged

envious

exhausted

fatalistic

foreboding

frustrated

futile

gloomy

grumpy

haunting

heartbroken

hopeless

hostile

indifferent

infuriated

intimidated

irritated

jealous

lethargic

lonely

melancholic

merciless

moody

morose

nauseated

nervous

nightmarish

numb

overwhelmed

painful

pensive

pessimistic

predatory

rejected

restless

scared

serious

sick

somber

stressed

suspenseful

tense

terrifying

threatening

uncomfortable

vengeful

violent

worried