AP English—Tone Vocab #1
1. admiring (adj. or verb)
regarding something or somebody with feelings of pleasure, approval, and often, wonder
Katie, a contestant on American Gladiators, received admiring looks from the other
gladiators when she made it through the Eliminator in record time.
2. apprehensive (adj.)
anxious, worried, nervous, uneasy
Mary felt apprehensive at the thought of going on stage the first night of the musical.
3. arrogant (adj.)
making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming;
insolently proud
The arrogant public official thought he could spend taxpayers money on personal
possessions without being held accountable for his actions.
4. benevolent (adj.)
showing kindness or goodwill; good or charitable
Beth showed her benevolent side when she volunteered with the 3 day Breast Cancer
Walk.
5. biting (adj.)
cold enough to cause discomfort or pain; sarcastic and clever; sharp and piercing
Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, made a biting remark about President Bush’s final
State of the Union Address.
6. candid (adj.)
honest or direct; free from prejudice or bias
Since most news sources are biased, I could not find a candid opinion on the race for
president.
7. clinical (adj.)
practical and unemotional; scientific; detached
The ambulance driver regarded the accident with clinical detachment, unemotionally
analyzing the situation.
8. colloquial (adj.)
informal use of language to create the effect of conversation; the way a language is
ordinarily and naturally used by its native speakers
“What’s up?” is a colloquial expression often heard in the hallways at Prairie Ridge.
9. determined (adj.)
feeling or showing firmness or a fixed purpose; resolute, staunch, resolved
The determined tennis player refused to give up despite the painful cramps that wraked
his body.
10. elegiac (adj.)
expressing sorrow or regret; a lament for someone who has died; mournful or reflective
Our grandparents often feel elegiac lament for youthful misdeeds.
11. wry (adj.)
a mixture of amusement and irony; twisted, distorted, contrary, or perverse
Betty’s wry humor did not amuse her coworkers.
REVIEW WORDS:
12. cogent (adj.)
convincing; reasonable
Christina’s argument was so cogent that even her opponents had to agree with her.
13. didactic (adj.)
intended to instruct
The tapes were entertaining and didactic because they amused and instructed the
children.
14. fluid (adj.)
easily flowing
The two old friends’ conversation was fluid; each of them was able to respond quickly
and easily to what the other had to say.
15. anachronism (noun)
something out of place in time or sequence
Jill was something of an anachronism; she insisted on carrying a parasol when going out
in the sun and believed that a woman’s place was at home in the kitchen and with the
children.
16. anthropomorphism (noun)
the attribution of humanlike characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or forces of
nature
Beatrix Potter is known for her children’s books filled with anthropomorphism; Peter
Rabbitt, Squirrel Nutkin, and Samuel Whiskers were all animal characters with very
human qualities.
AP English
Tone Vocab #2
1. Awestruck
having or showing a feeling of mixed reverence and respect and wonder and dread
Bailey felt awestruck when she met Jon BonJovi in person after his concert.
2. Bitter
Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant; marked by resentment or
cynicism
Tom’s bitter resentment at the loss of his job caused him to sue his former company for
wrongful job termination.
3. Brash
impertinent; impudent; tactless; hasty; rash; impetuous
The brash young man refused to listen to the wise words of his elders.
4. Compassionate
Feeling or showing sympathy
Billy’s compassionate reaction to the plight of the people in Darfur caused him to donate
money to help the cause.
5. Condescending
showing or implying a usually patronizing descent from dignity or superiority
They resented the older neighbors' condescending cordiality.
6. Fanciful
capricious or whimsical; unreal or imaginary
The fanciful costumes for the film Elizabeth won the designer an Oscar.
7. Lugubrious
mournful, dismal, or gloomy
The lugubrious reaction of the nation to the Northern Illinois tragedy mirrored the
students feelings on campus.
8. Sardonic
Scornfully or cynically mocking
The older sister gave her little brother a sardonic grin when he asked her a ridiculous
question.
9. Detached
impartial or objective; disinterested; unbiased
The judge issued a detached judgment despite the emotional weight of the trial.
10. Effusive
Unrestrained or excessive in emotional expression; gushy; pouring out; overflowing
The mother lavished effusive praise on her son for taking out the garbage.
Review Words:
11. didactic
intended for instruction; instructive
The professor gave a didactic lecture on anatomy; it was instructive, but very
uninteresting.
12. dubious
doubtful; of unlikely authenticity
Jerry’s claim that he could fly like Superman seemed dubious – we didn’t believe it.
13. oxymoron
an apparent contradiction of terms
Angela spent her lazy summer afternoon contemplating oxymorons: “freezer burn,”
“plastic glasses,” and “ deafening silence” were among her favorites.
14. convoluted
intricate; complex
The directions were so convoluted that we drove all around the city and got lost.
15. futile
having no useful purpose; pointless
It is futile to try to explain the difference between right and wring to your pet.
AP English
Tone Vocab 3
1. diffident
restrained or reserved in manner, conduct; timid; shy; self-conscious
The young man was diffident and unsure of himself in front of an audience.
2. incisive
remarkably clear and direct; sharp; penetrating; cutting; biting
Barb’s sharp, incisive comments physically cut into her husband.
3. nostalgic
a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life; a sentimental
yearning for the happiness of a former place or time
Bill felt nostalgic for his college days.
4. facetious
not meant to be taken seriously; cleverly amusing in tone
The facetious remarks made by Amy Pohler on Saturday Night Live made the audience
laugh.
5. pedantic
characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules
The teacher’s pedantic attention to details annoyed the rest of the students in the class.
6. pretentious
making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious
The pretentious country house had over the top details including five bedrooms and eight
bathrooms.
7. insolent
boldly rude or disrespectful; contemptuously impertinent; insulting
The child’s insolent reply to his father caused him to be grounded for a month.
8. solemn
grave, sober, or mirthless, as a person, the face, speech, tone, or mood
The solemn mood at the funeral reflected the sadness of the family.
9. taunting
to reproach in a mocking, insulting, or contemptuous manner
The bully’s cruel, taunting remarks hurt his mark.
10. objective
not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts;
unbiased
The judge tried to stay objective and unbiased when rendering a decision in the case.
Review Words:
11. implication
the act of suggesting or hinting
When your mother asks, “Were you raised in a barn?” the implication is that your should
close the door.
12. eloquence
the ability to speak vividly or persuasively
Cicero’s eloquence is legendary; his speeches were well-crafted and convincing.
13. lucid
easily understood; clear
Our teacher does a good job because he provides lucid explanations of difficult concepts.
14. astute (adj)
shrewd; clever
Kevin is financially astute; he never falls for the tricks that credit card companies play.
15. egregious (adj)
conspicuously bad or offensive
Forgetting to sterilize surgical tools before an operation would be an egregious error.
AP English—Tone Vocab #4
Your Task: Study these words to prepare for a small quiz on Friday.
1. insipid (adj)
without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; vapid
Kyle’s insipid personality caused him to be easily forgetable.
2. droll (adj)
amusing in a wry or odd way; comic; witty
The droll mime’s whimsical routine forced the audience into fits of laughter.
3. contemptuous (adj)
feeling, expressing, or demonstrating a strong dislike or utter lack of respect for
somebody or something; condescending; sneering
Contemptuous anger pulsed through the student as the teacher wasted his time with busy
work.
4. irreverent (adj)
lacking in respect; cheeky; mocking; impertinent
Many years ago, this country was outraged by an irreverent piece of art that asked people
to step on the American flag.
5. impartial (adj)
having no direct involvement or interest and not favoring one person or side more than
another; unbiased; unprejudiced; equitable
The scientist refused to take money from the pharmacuetical companies because he did
not want the impartiality of his study to be questioned.
6. contentious (adj)
frequently engaging in and seeming to enjoy arguments and disputes
Bob’s abrasive, contentious personality made him a master of argument in the court
room.
7. scholarly (adj)
with a great deal of knowledge, especially knowledge of an academic subject
The English Journal, a scholarly publication for English teachers, includes many articles
regarding the teaching of literature.
8. hopeful (adj)
feeling fairly sure that something that is wanted will happen; confident; optimistic
The race for president still includes three hopeful candidates.
9. empathetic (adj)
sympathetic; compassionate; concerned; kind
All babies feel a natural empathetic impulse to cry when they hear another child in
distress.
10. somber (adj)
dull; dark; melancholy; grave; sober; solemn
A somber hush fell over the tourists as they passed the site of the 9/11 tragedy.
Review Words:
11. quandary (noun)
a state of uncertainty or perplexity
Ann was in a quandary because she had no soap with which to do her laundry.
12. convoluted (adj)
intricate; complex
The directions were so convoluted that we drove all around the city and got lost.
13. cryptic (adj)
difficult to comprehend
The writing on the walls of the crypt was cryptic; none of the scientists understood it.
14. despotic (adj)
exercising absolute power; tyrannical
He was a despotic ruler whose every law was enforced with threats of violence or death.
15. indolent (adj)
lazy; lethargic and not showing any interest or making any effort
Mr. Lan said his students were indolent because they had not done their homework.