ACT: Words to Capture Tone: Words to Capture Tone, List 7

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. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
    “I was in awe of it, really, and almost didn’t trust it — a bit incredulous. Is this really happening?” Seattle Times (Nov 29, 2020)
  2. sympathetic
    expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings
    Ocean was trying to be nice, sure, but I knew that his sudden sympathetic heart was born only of awkward guilt, and that this was a road that would lead to nowhere. A Very Large Expanse of Sea
  3. derisive
    expressing contempt or ridicule
    The silence was broken by scornful snorts and derisive laughter. Redwall
  4. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
    Their glances were tentative and frightened, in keeping with so many of the first glances of this place. The Journey of Little Charlie
  5. apprehensive
    mentally upset over possible misfortune or danger
    She looks apprehensive, twisting her fingers and avoiding making eye contact. Water for Elephants
  6. tactful
    having a sense of what is considerate in dealing with others
    “You told the truth, but in the bluntest and least tactful way. Surely it can't be a surprise to you that it caused tension,” one user wrote. Fox News (Nov 6, 2019)
  7. indignant
    angered at something unjust or wrong
    After relentless questioning about why he was changing his testimony and Chapman’s suggestion that someone was putting him up to this, Ralph became indignant. Just Mercy
  8. inflammatory
    inciting action or rebellion
    One of his most famous lithographs, depicting the “citizen king” Louis-Philippe as the grotesquely rapacious Gargantua, was so inflammatory that it landed the artist in prison for six months. Washington Post (Oct 6, 2020)
  9. inquisitive
    given to questioning
    The dozen grand jurors appeared inquisitive throughout the proceedings, asking witnesses about the evidence and sometimes sounding skeptical about what was provided to them. New York Times (Oct 2, 2020)
  10. brash
    offensively bold
    They’re brash and audacious, with a few glimmers of transcendence, but for the most part the confrontation is fundamentally just for show. Slate (Nov 30, 2020)
  11. brusque
    rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
    I always seemed to say the wrong thing and people found me brusque, abrupt, or stupefyingly rude. The Guardian (Nov 8, 2019)
  12. disgruntled
    in a state of sulky dissatisfaction
    “He tries really hard, works hard. And you don’t find him often depressed or disgruntled or angry. That’s not who he is.” Washington Post (Oct 24, 2020)
  13. insincere
    lacking the quality of being open and truthful
    Her compliments were clotted with an extravagance that made them seem insincere, yet her friends smiled and bloomed under them. Americanah
Created on Mon Jun 09 15:04:07 EDT 2025 (updated Mon Jun 09 15:04:50 EDT 2025)

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