Words to Capture Tone: Words to Capture Tone - Week 8

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.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. despondent
    without or almost without hope
    Tiger's despondent press conferences will persist, and the press will hang on his words to see if there's even a glimmer of hope. Golf Digest (Oct 16, 2013)
  2. didactic
    instructive, especially excessively
    The Newsroom is a didactic show, by which I mean, when it presents an argument, it hints pretty clearly which side it believes is right. Time (Dec 7, 2014)
  3. disgruntled
    in a state of sulky dissatisfaction
    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released thousands of complaints Thursday from disgruntled customers of banks, credit card companies and other providers of financial services. Los Angeles Times (Jun 25, 2015)
  4. effusive
    uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm
    It’s being called both a “comedy smash” and “really funny,” among other effusive compliments. Salon (Jul 20, 2015)
  5. facetious
    cleverly amusing in tone
    "We have a very facetious Liverpool sense of humour, laughing at things which are stupid," says Wells. The Guardian (Jul 21, 2012)
  6. gregarious
    temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
    Aren’t entrepreneurs supposed to be gregarious and commanding—verbally adept and able to inspire employees, clients and investors with the sheer force of their personality? Wall Street Journal (Aug 24, 2015)
  7. laudatory
    full of or giving praise
    And yes, as we've read in laudatory profiles and seen in TV spots, the rookie is smart, studious, humble, and looks fantastic in denim. Slate (Oct 16, 2012)
  8. mercurial
    liable to sudden unpredictable change
    But though his aesthetic has been mercurial, his theme has arguably stayed the same. New York Times (Feb 4, 2015)
  9. quizzical
    perplexed
    Perhaps it is because patients fear the quizzical look and follow-up question: “You’re eating what?” Washington Post (May 14, 2012)
  10. incisive
    demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
    But anyone who relishes elegant and incisive writing and speech will be glad that Vidal was fated to explain, rather than practise, politics. The Guardian (Aug 1, 2012)
  11. zealous
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
    A zealous prosecutor, Elizabeth Scheibel, went on a crusade, bringing criminal charges against six teenagers that held them directly responsible for causing...death. Slate (Apr 10, 2014)
  12. fervent
    characterized by intense emotion
    Mr. Elwes said it has attained such a large and fervent following thanks largely to pre-Internet word-of-mouth raves and home video rentals. Washington Times (Jun 21, 2015)
  13. acrid
    strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
    But that was no moment for futile recrimination, and self-interest served to stay the acrid retort on the tip of his tongue. Hudson Douglas
  14. choleric
    characterized by anger
    He returned more choleric than before, calling those he met rebels and traitors, in his mad fury. Samuel Adams Drake
  15. churlish
    having a bad disposition; surly
    Of course, it’s churlish to speak sourly of a guiltless, newborn child. Time (Jul 24, 2013)
  16. diffident
    showing modest reserve
    His manner is diffident and reserved, but the music-making is intense, full of character and rendered on the highest technical level.
    —Washington Post (Mar 30, 2015)
  17. fatuous
    devoid of intelligence
    "This is a fatuous show with nothing fresh to say about popular culture and our fixation with fame," his one-star write-up continued. BBC (Dec 12, 2012)
  18. histrionic
    overly dramatic or emotional
    The mildness of Dellavedova’s provocations only makes the histrionic local reaction to them – the impassioned denunciations, the drippingly earnest think pieces – all the more hilarious. The Guardian (Jun 1, 2015)
  19. jejune
    lacking interest or significance or impact
    But in their translation into the bald language of reality—the jejune prose of fact—our dreams have a way of losing their finer essence. Rhoda Broughton
  20. melancholic
    characterized by or causing or expressing sadness
    As a child she was a shy, melancholic loner riddled with very early-onset teenage angst. The Guardian (Aug 2, 2014)
  21. mordant
    harshly ironic or sinister
    The amiable Brian takes refuge in mordant humor: “Bad luck. Good luck. It’s all chance,” he says, then adding darkly, “Rotten sort of lottery, life.” New York Times (May 1, 2015)
  22. saturnine
    bitter or scornful
    He was, in short, what is called a deep designing villain, and the saturnine and sinister expression of his countenance at once proclaimed this. Various
  23. supercilious
    having or showing arrogant superiority
    Except for their accents, these people are identical to a certain class of spoiled, supercilious New Yorkers who exude a smug sense of entitlement. New York Times (Jun 26, 2014)
  24. unctuous
    unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating
    When singing about searing indignities, that unctuous and unbothered voice of his makes it sound as if he’s just buttering up his adversary. New York Times (Jun 13, 2011)
  25. vivacious
    vigorous and animated
    "Patients today are unyielding in their desire to continue to be active and maintain a physically vivacious life," Grossman said. US News (Sep 2, 2015)
Created on Fri Dec 11 22:04:58 EST 2015 (updated Thu Jun 24 14:15:01 EDT 2021)

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