ACT: Words to Capture Tone: Words to Capture Tone, List 1

On the ACT Reading Test, you will almost certainly encounter questions that ask about an author's tone — that is, the author's attitude toward their subject matter. Master our comprehensive collection of common words used to describe an author's tone, and you'll be well prepared to tackle these questions.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. adversarial
    characterized by feelings of intense dislike or hostility
    “There’s going to be a lot of disagreement when we get to the details, but it’s not as adversarial as one might imagine.” Washington Times (Dec 1, 2020)
  2. skeptical
    marked by or given to doubt
    He looked to me and added, “Your highly skeptical friend may not believe me at all. That notwithstanding, it is true.” The Inquisitor's Tale
  3. optimistic
    hopeful that the best will happen in the future
    In public, Katherine Goble was unfailingly gracious, optimistic, and unflappable, and she insisted that her girls acquit themselves in the same fashion. Hidden Figures
  4. pessimistic
    expecting the worst possible outcome
    Consumers are growing more pessimistic about the future, according to the latest University of Michigan confidence gauge. Washington Post (Nov 14, 2020)
  5. objective
    undistorted by emotion or personal bias
    Even when decision-makers try to be objective, their judgments are influenced by financial incentives. Scientific American (Dec 3, 2020)
  6. sincere
    characterized by a firm belief in your opinions
    “A lot of people are cynical about it, but I think he was really sincere about it,” Goldberg said. Los Angeles Times (Nov 19, 2020)
  7. nostalgic
    unhappy about being away and longing for familiar things
    It seems some people are feeling a bit nostalgic for a simpler time, online and off. The Verge (Dec 8, 2020)
  8. ambivalent
    uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
    The feelings are very ambivalent, very mixed, but it’s mainly just couched in so much grief and so much personal mourning. Los Angeles Times (Jun 24, 2020)
  9. anxious
    causing or fraught with or showing nervousness
    He turned and saw Helvi’s anxious, questioning face close to his own, and beyond that her mother’s. The Incredible Journey
  10. mocking
    expressing contempt or ridicule
    “What disgraceful behavior!” he exclaimed in a mocking tone so familiar that it made her teary. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
  11. critical
    marked by a tendency to find and call attention to flaws
    “You might be surprised at how unwilling people are to turn a critical eye on themselves.” Anger Is a Gift
  12. assertive
    aggressively self-assured
    His tone is assertive but not triumphal; he’s beyond gloating. New York Times (Jun 18, 2020)
Created on Wed Jun 04 12:47:48 EDT 2025 (updated Wed Jun 04 12:48:09 EDT 2025)

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