Words to Capture Tone: Words to Capture Tone - Week 6

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 16002 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. insincere
    lacking the quality of being open and truthful
    Of course, if used poorly, the suggested questions can come across like bad pickup lines, rehearsed and insincere. New York Times (Oct 15, 2014)
  2. artificial
    contrived by art rather than nature
    And what is true of the biological variety should also be true of its artificial counterpart. Scientific American (Sep 7, 2015)
  3. novel
    original and of a kind not seen before
    Finally, highly-math-anxious parents may become flustered when their children’s teachers use novel strategies that parents themselves never learned. Time (Sep 9, 2015)
  4. rigid
    incapable of or resistant to bending
    When you’re too rigid or strict or hard on yourself, willpower becomes white-knuckling, and there’s nothing fun or inspiring about that. Wall Street Journal (Sep 4, 2015)
  5. stability
    the quality or attribute of being firm and steadfast
    Seeking stability in an unsteady economy, investors had begun parking their money in Washington real estate. Washington Post (Sep 4, 2015)
  6. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
    Apologizing often makes you seem tentative and unsure — and that’s definitely not a plus in the workplace. Time (Aug 3, 2015)
  7. assertion
    a declaration that is made emphatically
    The former planned to definitively disprove Cook’s assertions, while the latter intended to defend the explorer’s honor. Time (Aug 31, 2015)
  8. concern
    an anxious feeling
    As parental concern mounts, tech companies are eager to prove that they have the best interests of students at heart. US News (Sep 8, 2015)
  9. despair
    a state in which all hope is lost or absent
    If we truly stopped to think about what each such death meant for victims and their families we would surely become overwhelmed by despair. The Guardian (Aug 24, 2015)
  10. solidarity
    a union of interests or purposes among members of a group
    Elsewhere in the Hungarian capital, thousands marched in solidarity with the migrants, and demanded the government do more to help them. BBC (Sep 2, 2015)
  11. imprudent
    not sensible, responsible, or wise
    Clearly that was unwise, and to bail out management and investors, let alone reward them for imprudent decisions, is not proper. Forbes (Apr 7, 2015)
  12. aggravated
    made more severe or intense especially in law
    Alonso aggravated his existing back condition Tuesday night, while Norris’ situation was the result of a collision with Beltre at the plate on Tuesday. Washington Times (Sep 3, 2015)
  13. astonishment
    the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
    The other patients died, but Silva’s tumors virtually vanished, to the astonishment of her doctors. Washington Post (Jun 13, 2015)
  14. coarse
    lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
    Ferrell and Hart are two stars with clearly, cleverly designed personalities, but whose films are often lazy and coarse in execution. Time (Mar 25, 2015)
  15. creative
    having the ability or power to invent or make something
    Star Wars was a breakout success for many well-discussed reasons, but one powerful factor was how it easily lent itself to creative backyard play. The Guardian (Sep 3, 2015)
  16. ecstatic
    feeling great rapture or delight
    In photographs taken just after the baby was born, she cuddles the infant, looking ecstatic and proud. Los Angeles Times (Mar 6, 2015)
  17. fanciful
    indulging in or influenced by the imagination
    Despite first being proposed more than a century ago, the idea of a space elevator has always appeared fanciful. Reuters (Sep 3, 2015)
  18. hopeful
    having or manifesting optimism
    "A socially inclusive Singapore that is prosperous because it is innovative, and where people always feel hopeful about making progress in their lives." US News (Sep 8, 2015)
  19. inspiring
    stimulating or exalting to the spirit
    But it was exciting, and inspiring, to live in a country where people had fought and won the fight for democracy and openness. US News (Aug 31, 2015)
  20. judgmental
    relating to an assessment of a person, situation, or event
    Thus began one of West’s familiar monologues on the fashion industry’s judgmental nature — its bullying and mean-girl tendencies and refusal to recognize his brilliance. Washington Post (Jun 2, 2015)
  21. objective
    undistorted by emotion or personal bias
    It is important as a scientist, irrespective of belief, to be as objective as possible and steer clear of overtly political, advocacy, or activist stances. Forbes (Aug 3, 2015)
  22. urgency
    an earnest and insistent necessity
    While the process can often take up to a year or more, the outbreak created a sense of urgency that could speed things up. Washington Times (Sep 8, 2015)
  23. condescending
    characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance
    "The owner is rude, condescending, arrogant, and way too full of himself. Not a good representation of the people of southern Utah." Los Angeles Times (Jun 11, 2015)
  24. crude
    conspicuously and tastelessly indecent
    His male supporters regard his crude sexism not as juvenile behavior but as a transgressive political statement. Slate (Aug 13, 2015)
  25. lyrical
    expressing deep emotion
    Supreme Court rulings are typically dry legalistic documents, but Friday’s decision recognizing gay marriage nationwide was more lyrical than most. Time (Jun 26, 2015)
Created on Fri Dec 11 19:31:50 EST 2015 (updated Thu Jun 24 14:14:40 EDT 2021)

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