Words to Capture Tone: Words to Capture Tone - Week 4

On the SAT, all of the Reading Test questions are multiple choice and are based on reading passages that may be taken from literature, science, the social sciences, or a U.S. founding document (or a text inspired by such a document). Many of the reading comprehension questions meant to assess a student’s understanding of those passages will require students to choose words that best describe the writer’s tone or point of view, words like the 25 words you see on this list. Learn them here so when you see them in an SAT answer choice, you’ll know what they mean!

Following our Roadmap to the SAT? Head back to see what else you should be learning this week.
25 words 24104 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. intense
    possessing a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
    “If you don’t want a session that is too competitive you can choose one that is less intense. The Guardian (Sep 7, 2015)
  2. engaging
    attracting or delighting
    It is seductive, engaging, and lit, despite the odds, by a vitality that is in itself a form of hope. Slate (Sep 9, 2015)
  3. exuberant
    joyously unrestrained
    He had been his father’s exuberant companion, who had, Emerson wrote, “touched with his lively curiosity every trivial fact & circumstance in the household.” The New Yorker (Sep 7, 2015)
  4. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    Much work goes into the ceremonies, market officials said, though they only last a fleeting few minutes. Wall Street Journal (Sep 3, 2015)
  5. jealous
    suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival
    When they travel, rich 20-somethings are drawn toward gregarious pleasures that can be shared on social media to make their friends jealous. Economist (Aug 27, 2015)
  6. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
    Nick Saban, the Alabama coach, stamped out of one news conference last week like a petulant child, all because reporters dared to do their jobs. New York Times (Sep 15, 2013)
  7. ambitious
    having a strong desire for success or achievement
    This could be a legacy project for an ambitious local politician with his eyes on bigger things. Los Angeles Times (Sep 2, 2015)
  8. reckless
    marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
    It came after a night of drinking and reckless stunt driving at a construction site in which he and a passenger could have been killed. New York Times (Sep 2, 2015)
  9. undermine
    weaken or impair, especially gradually
    Bypassing the system of checks and balances would only cause chaos and undermine the legitimacy of the state. Wall Street Journal (Sep 8, 2015)
  10. deference
    courteous regard for people's feelings
    "I have waited in deference while others expressed their feelings, beliefs, confusions and even conclusions - absent the full story." Reuters (Jun 15, 2015)
  11. disparagement
    a communication that belittles somebody or something
    The opera is no masterpiece, but disparagement of the score as uninspired has never seemed justified on the rare occasions we hear it. The Guardian (Jun 4, 2013)
  12. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
    An obstinate captive raven nearly brought photographer Vince Musi to tears last week when the bird refused to stand still for a picture. National Geographic (Aug 8, 2015)
  13. opposition
    being against something that you disapprove or disagree with
    Growing up, she played football with brothers and cousins and rushed to join the team, despite opposition from relatives. The Guardian (Sep 9, 2015)
  14. quarrelsome
    given to arguing
    He’s quarrelsome on Twitter, always ready to tussle with any old nobody who’s talking trash. Washington Post (Apr 8, 2015)
  15. contentious
    showing an inclination to disagree
    At this moment, the respectful, cordial tenor of the meeting took a noticeably different and more contentious tone. The New Yorker (Aug 27, 2015)
  16. rancorous
    showing deep-seated resentment
    The brothers had a rancorous split and have essentially not talked since. New York Times (Sep 5, 2013)
  17. vituperative
    marked by harshly abusive criticism
    If you read the online versions of newspaper columns you can click over to the reader comments, which are often critical, vituperative and insulting. Seattle Times (Feb 7, 2015)
  18. receptive
    open to arguments, ideas, or change
    Sometimes she seems receptive to advice, but more often she just has an answer for everything and gets really defensive. Washington Post (Sep 9, 2015)
  19. reluctant
    not eager
    Montgomery officials are proceeding slowly in addressing the problem sidewalks, reluctant to move forward until they have more laboratory findings. Washington Post (Aug 30, 2015)
  20. seductive
    tending to entice into a desired action or state
    He finds pleasure in thinking itself, surrendering to the seductive pull of creative association. New York Times (Aug 12, 2015)
  21. pernicious
    exceedingly harmful
    So, while there is pressure on young men and women to look like models there is another equally pernicious trend emerging - the normalisation of obesity. BBC (May 30, 2015)
  22. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    Ominous foreshadowings at the film’s beginning hint how that story ends, but the derring-do along the way is something to see. New York Times (May 28, 2015)
  23. anxiety
    a vague unpleasant emotion in anticipation of a misfortune
    She feels like she is no longer as sharp as her colleagues, causing significant anxiety and depression. US News (Sep 3, 2015)
  24. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
    Their representative assemblies passed obsequious resolutions expressing loyalty and gratitude to the King, and the people; and erected his statue in a public place. James H.Stark
  25. domination
    power to defeat
    Of course football has its celebrated chess-like aspects, but the game’s primal appeal is in the physical domination of some men by some other men. Slate (May 18, 2015)
Created on Fri Dec 11 18:01:43 EST 2015 (updated Thu Jun 24 14:14:16 EDT 2021)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.