Tone Words Flashcards
Doctrinaire
adjective (or noun if person)
1.
seeking to impose a doctrine in all circumstances without regard to practical considerations.
“a doctrinaire conservative”
synonyms: dogmatic, rigid, inflexible, uncompromising
Pedantic
adjective
of or like a pedant.
“many of the essays are long, dense, and too pedantic to hold great appeal”
synonyms: overscrupulous, scrupulous, precise, exact, perfectionist, punctilious, meticulous, fussy, fastidious, finicky
Bookish
adjective
(of a person or way of life) devoted to reading and studying rather than worldly interests.
“by comparison I was very bookish, intellectual, and wordy in a wrong way”
synonyms: studious, scholarly, academic, intellectual, highbrow, erudite, learned, lettered
Moralizing
verb
comment on issues of right and wrong, typically with an unfounded air of superiority.
“the self-righteous moralizing of his aunt was ringing in his ears”
synonyms: pontificate, sermonize, lecture, preach
“it isn’t your job to moralize to me”
Didactic
adjective
intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive.
“a didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice”
synonyms: instructive, instructional, educational, educative, informative, informational, edifying, improving, preceptive, pedagogic, moralistic
“the reforming, didactic function of art”
Satirical
adjective
containing or using satire.
“a New York-based satirical magazine”
Ironic
adjective using or characterized by irony. "his mouth curved into an ironic smile" synonyms: sarcastic, sardonic, cynical, mocking, satirical, caustic, wry "Edward's tone was ironic"
Sardonic
adjective
grimly mocking or cynical.
“Starkey attempted a sardonic smile”
synonyms: mocking, satirical, sarcastic, ironical, ironic
Sarcastic
adjective
marked by or given to using irony in order to mock or convey contempt.
“sarcastic comments on their failures”
synonyms: sardonic, ironic, ironical
Wry
adjective
1.
using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor.
“a wry smile”
synonyms: ironic, sardonic, satirical, mocking, sarcastic
Ardent
adjective
enthusiastic or passionate.
“an ardent baseball fan”
synonyms: passionate, fervent, zealous, fervid, wholehearted, vehement, intense, fierce, fiery
Fervent
adjective
having or displaying a passionate intensity.
“a fervent disciple of tax reform”
synonyms: impassioned, passionate, intense, vehement, ardent, sincere, fervid, heartfelt
Avid
adjective
having or showing a keen interest in or enthusiasm for something.
“an avid reader of science fiction”
synonyms: keen, eager, enthusiastic, ardent, passionate, zealous, hard-core
Zealous
adjective
having or showing zeal.
“the council was extremely zealous in the application of the regulations”
synonyms: fervent, ardent, fervid, fanatical, passionate
Impassioned
adjective
filled with or showing great emotion.
“she made an impassioned plea for help”
synonyms: emotional, heartfelt, wholehearted, earnest, sincere, fervent, ardent, passionate, fervid, intense, burning
Flippant
adjective
not showing a serious or respectful attitude.
“a flippant remark”
synonyms: frivolous, facetious, tongue-in-cheek
Glib
adjective
(of words or the person speaking them) fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow.
“she was careful not to let the answer sound too glib”
synonyms: slick, pat, fast-talking, smooth-talking
Bantering
verb
talk or exchange remarks in a good-humored teasing way.
“the men bantered with the waitresses”
synonyms: joke, jest, quip;
Frivolous
adjective
not having any serious purpose or value.
“rules to stop frivolous lawsuits”
synonyms: flippant, glib, facetious, joking, jokey, lighthearted
Irreverent
adjective
showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously.
“she is irreverent about the whole business of politics”
synonyms: disrespectful, disdainful, scornful, contemptuous
Imperious
adjective
assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering.
“his imperious demands”
synonyms: peremptory, high-handed, commanding
Haughty
adjective
arrogantly superior and disdainful.
“a look of haughty disdain”
synonyms: proud, arrogant, vain, conceited
Bombastic
adjective
high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated.
“bombastic rhetoric”
synonyms: pompous, blustering, turgid, verbose, orotund
Supercilious
adjective
behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others.
“a supercilious lady’s maid”
synonyms: arrogant, haughty, conceited
Pompous
adjective
affectedly and irritatingly grand, solemn, or self-important.
“a pompous person who pretends he knows everything”
synonyms: self-important, imperious, overbearing
Impartial
adjective
treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just.
“independent and impartial advice”
synonyms: unbiased, unprejudiced, neutral
Dispassionate
adjective
not influenced by strong emotion, and so able to be rational and impartial.
“she dealt with life’s disasters in a calm, dispassionate way”
synonyms: unemotional, emotionless, impassive
Detached
adjective
aloof and objective.
“he managed to remain detached from petty politics”
synonyms: dispassionate, disinterested, objective
Ambivalent
adjective
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.
“some loved her, some hated her, few were ambivalent about her”
synonyms: equivocal, uncertain, unsure
Unbiased
adjective
showing no prejudice for or against something; impartial.
synonyms: impartial, unprejudiced, neutral
Contemptuous
adjective
showing contempt; scornful.
“she was intolerant and contemptuous of the majority of the human race”
synonyms: scornful, disdainful, disrespectful, insulting
Patronizing
verb
treat with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority.
““She’s a good-hearted girl,” he said in a patronizing voice”
synonyms: treat condescendingly, condescend to, look down on
Derisive
adjective
expressing contempt or ridicule.
“a harsh, derisive laugh”
synonyms: mocking, jeering, scoffing
Disparaging
adjective
expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory.
“disparaging remarks about public housing”
Disdainful
adjective
showing contempt or lack of respect.
“with a last disdainful look, she turned toward the door”
synonyms: contemptuous, scornful, derisive
Nostalgic
adjective (or noun for person)
characterized by or exhibiting feelings of nostalgia.
synonyms: wistful, evocative, romantic, sentimental
Contemplative
adjective
expressing or involving prolonged thought.
“she regarded me with a contemplative eye”
synonyms: thoughtful, pensive, reflective
Wistful
adjective
having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing.
“a wistful smile”
synonyms: nostalgic, yearning
Melancholy
noun
a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.
“an air of melancholy surrounded him”
synonyms: sadness, sorrow, unhappiness
Reflective
adjective
relating to or characterized by deep thought; thoughtful.
“a quiet, reflective, astute man”
Impetuous
adjective
acting or done quickly and without thought or care.
“her friend was headstrong and impetuous”
synonyms: impulsive, rash, hasty
Mercurial
adjective
(of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.
“his mercurial temperament”
synonyms: volatile, capricious, temperamental
Fickle
adjective
changing frequently, especially as regards one’s loyalties, interests, or affection.
“Web patrons are a notoriously fickle lot, bouncing from one site to another on a whim”
synonyms: capricious, changeable, variable, volatile, mercurial
Erratic
adjective
not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable.
“her breathing was erratic”
synonyms: unpredictable, inconsistent, changeable
Capricious
adjective
given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
“a capricious and often brutal administration”
synonyms: fickle, inconstant, changeable
Resigned
adjective
having accepted something unpleasant that one cannot do anything about.
“my response is a resigned shrug of the shoulders”
Acquiescing (Acquiescent)
accept something reluctantly but without protest.
“Sara acquiesced in his decision”
Passive
adjective
accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance.
“the women were portrayed as passive victims”
synonyms: submissive, acquiescent, unresisting
Yielding
adjective
of a substance or object) giving way under pressure; not hard or rigid.
“she dropped on to the yielding cushions”
Submissive
adjective
ready to conform to the authority or will of others; meekly obedient or passive.
synonyms: compliant, yielding, acquiescent
