The Dialogue Thesaurus: A Fiction Writer's Sourcebook of Dialogue Tags and Phrases (8 page)

"I'd like to see you try and make me," Gavin said
antagonistically
.

She said
combatively
, "No one is going to stop me!"

"Sorry, but I refuse," he said
inflexibly
.

"Mom, can I have an ice cream?" Nick continued
persistently
.

"Stay off my damn lawn," the old man yelled
territorially
.

believably; candidly; conspicuously; correctly; factually; faithfully; forthrightly; frankly; genuinely; guilelessly; honestly; ingenuously; innocently; justifiedly; justly; kosherly; legitimately; naturally; openly; outrightly; outspokenly; pellucidly; plainly; plausibly; precisely; realistically; reliably; righteously; scrupulously; simply; sincerely; squarely; straightforwardly; trustingly; trustworthily; truthfully; unaffectedly; unfeignedly; unreservedly; unstudiedly; veraciously; verbatim; veritably; vindicatedly; virtuously.

"I don't deny it," Vivian said
candidly
.

"She can't cook worth a damn," her father said
frankly
.

Openly
, she spoke for the first time. "I can tell you only what I know."

He said
sincerely
, "I will do what I can to help you."

"Jake was the one who started the fire," Michael responded
truthfully
.

abstractly; abstrusely; allegorically; alliteratively; alludingly; allusively; ambiguously; arbitrarily; arcanely; bewilderingly; bizarrely; cryptically; elusively; enigmatically; esoterically; euphemistically; exotically; figuratively; foreignly; hiddenly; idiosyncratically; implicitly; indirectly; indistinctly; metaphorically; mysteriously; mystically; obliquely; obscurely; partially; peculiarly; poetically; queerly; strangely; symbolically; unclearly; undecipherably; unintelligibly; vaguely; weirdly.

"Judgments of the sky," she said
abstractly
.

"Well," Ollie said
ambiguously
, "she's a lot of things."

"I know all," the man said
cryptically
.

"Hath ye no Gods?" he replied
mysteriously
.

"We come, we go, we flow," Mr. Andrews said
vaguely
.

abandoned; abashed; abhorred; abhorrent; abnormal; abominable; abrasive; absent-minded; absolved; absorbed; absurd; abused; abusive; abysmal; accepted; accepting; accessible; acclimated; accommodating; accomplished; accountable; accusatory; accused; acrimonious; adamant; addled; adequate; admirable; admiring; admonished; adorable; adoring; adrift; adventurous; adversarial; affable; affected; affectionate; afflicted; affronted; afraid; aggravated; aggressive; aggrieved; aghast; agitated; agog; agonized; agreeable; aimless; alarmed; alert; alienated; alive; alluring; allusive; almighty; alone; aloof; altruistic; amazed; ambitious; ambivalent; amenable; amoral; amorous; amused; anarchic; angelic; angerless; angry; angsty; anguished; animalistic; animated; annoyed; antagonistic; anticipatory; antipathetic; antisocial; antsy; anxious; apathetic; apologetic; appalled; appreciated; appreciative; apprehensive; ardent; argumentative; aristocratic; aroused; arrogant; ashamed; asinine; asleep; assertive; assured; astonished; astounded; astute; atrocious; attached; attacked; attentive; attracted; attractive; audacious; august; auspicious; austere; authoritative; autocratic; autonomous; avaricious; aversive; avid; awake; aware; awed; awesome; awestruck; awful; awkward.

abandonment; abashedness; abrasiveness; absolution; absurdity; abuse; acceptance; accessibility; accommodation; adamant; admirability; admiration; admonishment; adorability; adoration; adventurousness; affability; affection; aggravation; aggression / aggressiveness; aggrievement; agitation; agony; agreement; aimlessness; alert / alertness; alienation; allure; allusiveness; aloneness; altruism; amazement; ambition / ambitiousness; ambivalence; amorality; amorousness / amorosity; amusement; anarchy; anger; angerlessness; angst; anguish; animation; animosity; annoyance; antagonism; anticipation; antipathy; antsiness; anxiety; apathy; appreciation; apprehension; ardency; arousal; arrogance; assertiveness; astonishment; astoundment; astuteness; at a loss; at ease; at home; at peace; attentiveness; attraction; at war with (...); audaciousness / audacity; augustness; auspiciousness; austereness; autonomy; avarice; aversion; avidness; awe; awkwardness.

babied; bad; bad-tempered; badgered; baffled; baited; balanced; ballistic; bamboozled; banal; barren; bashful; battered; batty; bawdy; bearable; bearish; beastly; beat; beaten; beaten down; beautiful; bedazzled; bedeviled; befuddled; begrudged; beguiled; beholden; beleaguered; belittled; bellicose; belligerent; belonging; beloved; below average; bemused; benevolent; benign; berated; bereaved; bereft; berserk; beseeched; beset; besieged; besmirched; besotted; bested; bestial; betrayed; better; bewildered; bewitched; biased; big; bilious; bitched at; bitchy; bitter; bittersweet; bizarre; blamed; blameless; bland; blank; blanketed; blasphemous; blasé; bleak; bled dry; blessed; blighted; blind; blissful; blithe; bloated; bloodthirsty; blown away; bludgeoned; blue; blurry; blustered; boastful; bodacious; boggled; bogus; boisterous; bold; bombarded; bombastic; boorish; bored; bossed around; bossy; bothered; bothersome; bottled up; bought; bouncy; bound; bounded; boundless; bowled over; boxed in; boxed out; brainless; brainwashed; brainy; brash; bratty; brave; brazen; breathless; breathtaken; breezy; bridled; bright; bright eyed; brilliant; brisk; bristling; broad-minded; broken; broken down; brokenhearted; broken up; broody; browbeaten; bruised; brushed off; brutalized; brutish; bubbly; bugged; buggered; bulldozed; bullied; bullish; bummed; bummed out; buoyant; burdened; burdensome; burly; burned; burned out; burned up; bursting; buzzed.

babyishness; badness; bafflement; bamboozlement; banality; barrenness; bashfulness; battiness; bawdiness; bearishness; beastliness; beauty; bedazzlement; befuddlement; beguilement; belittlement; bellicosity; belligerence; belongingness; bemusement; benevolence; benignity; bent out of shape; bereavement; berserkness; beseechingness; besetment; besiegement; besottedness; bestiality; betrayal; betterment; bewilderment; bewitchment; bias; bigness; biliousness; bitchiness; bitterness; bittersweetness; bizarreness; blamelessness; blandness; blanketedness; blankness; blasphemy; bleakness; blessedness; blight; blindness; bliss; blitheness; bloatedness; bloodthirstiness; blueness; blurriness; boastfulness; bogusness; boisterousness; boldness; boorishness; boredom; bossiness; bounciness; boundedness; boundlessness; braininess; brainlessness; brashness; brattiness; bravery; brazenness; breathlessness; breeziness; brightness; brilliance; broad-mindedness; brokenheartedness; brokenness; broodiness; brutality; brutishness; bullishness; buoyancy; burliness.

caged; caged in; cagey; cajoled; calculating; callous; callow; calm; canny; cantankerous; capable; capricious; captious; captivated; captive; captured; cared for; carefree; careful; careless; careworn; caring; carried away; castigated; cast out; catatonic; cathartic; catty; caught out; cautious; cavalier; censored; censured; centered; certain; chafed; chagrined; chained; challenged; changed; chaotic; charged; charismatic; charitable; charmed; charming; chased; chaste; chastised; chatty; cheap; cheapened; cheated; cheated on; cheeky; cheerful; cheerless; cheery; cherished; chic; chicken; chided; childish; childlike; chilled; chilly; chipper; chivalrous; choked up; choosy; chosen; chuffed; churlish; circumspect; circumvented; civil; civilized; clammy; classy; claustrophobic; clean; cleansed; clear; clear-headed; clever; clingy; cloistered; closed; closed-minded; closed off; clouded; clued in; clueless; clumsy; coarse; coaxed; cocky; coddled; codependent; coerced; cold; cold-blooded; cold-hearted; collected; colorful; colossal; comatose; combative; comfortable; comforted; comfy; commanding; committed; common; communicative; compassionate; compatible; compelled; competent; competitive; complacent; complete; complex; compliant; complicated; composed; compromised; compulsive; conceited; concentrated; concerned; condemned; condescended to; condescending; confident; confined; conflicted; confounded; confronted; confronting; confused; connected; conned; conniving; conquered; conscientious; conscious; conservative; considerate; consoled; consoling; conspicuous; conspiratorial; conspired against; constrained; constricted; constructive; consumed; contagious; contained; contaminated; contemplative; contemptible; contemptuous; content; contented; contentious; contrite; controlled; controlling; convinced; convivial; cool; cooped up; cooperative; copacetic; cordial; cornered; corralled; correct; corrupted; courageous; courteous; courtly; coveted; covetous; cowardly; coy; cozy; crabby; crafty; cramped; cranky; crappy; crass; craven; crazed; crazy; creative; credulous; creeped out; creepy; crestfallen; criminal; crippled; critical; criticized; cross; crotchety; crowded; crucified; crude; cruel; crummy; crushed; cuckolded; cuckoo; cuddly; culpable; cultured; cumbersome; cunning; curious; curmudgeonly; cursed; cut; cut down; cut off; cute; cynical.

caginess; callousness; callowness; calmness; canniness; cantankerousness; capability; caprice / capriciousness; captiousness; captivation; care; carefulness; carelessness; castigation; catharsis; cattiness; caution / cautiousness; cavalierism / cavalierness; centeredness; certainty; chagrin; challenge; change; chaos; charisma; charity; charm; chastisement; chastity / chasteness; chattiness; cheapness; cheekiness; cheerfulness; cheeriness; cheerlessness; childishness; chilliness; chivalry; choosiness; churlishness; circumspection; circumvention; civility; clamminess; clarity; classiness; claustrophobia; cleanliness; clear-headedness; cleverness; clinginess; cloistered; closed-mindedness; close to (...); closure; cluelessness; clumsiness; coarseness; cockiness; codependency; coercion; cold-bloodedness; cold-heartedness; coldness; colossality; combativeness; comfiness; comfort; comfortability; command; commitment; commonality; compassion; compatibility; competence; competition; complacency; completeness; complexity; compliance; composure; compromise; compulsion; conceit; concentration; concern; condemnation; condescension; confidence; confinement; conflict; confrontation; confusion; connection; conscientiousness; consciousness; conservativeness; consideration; conspicuousness; constraint; constriction; constructiveness; consumption; contagiousness; contamination; contemplation; contempt; contemptibility; contentedness; contentiousness; contrary to (...); contrition; control; conviviality; coolness; cooperation; cordiality / cordialness; correctness; corruption; courage / courageousness; courtesy / courteousness; courtliness; covetousness; cowardliness; coyness; coziness; crabbiness; craftiness; crankiness; crappiness; crassness; cravenness; craziness; creativeness; credulity / credulousness; creepiness; criminality; criticism; crossness; crotchetiness; crudeness; cruelty; crumminess; cuddliness; culpability; culture; cumbersomeness; cunningness; curiosity / curiousness; cuteness; cynicalness.

daffy; dainty; damaged; damned; dandy; dangerous; dapper; daring; dark; dashed; dashing; dastardly; daunted; dauntless; dazed; dazzled; dazzling; dead; deafened; debased; debauched; debilitated; debonair; decadent; deceitful; deceived; decent; deceptive; decided; decimated; decisive; decorous; decrepit; dedicated; deep; defeated; defective; defenseless; defensive; deferential; defiant; deficient; defiled; definite; deflated; deformed; degenerate; degraded; dehumanized; dejected; delicate; delighted; delightful; delinquent; delirious; delivered; deluded; demanding; demeaned; demeaning; demented; democratic; demolished; demonized; demoralized; demotivated; demure; denatured; denigrated; denounced; dense; dependent; depleted; depraved; depressed; deprived; derailed; deranged; derided; derisive; deserted; deserving; desirable; desired; desirous; desolate; despairing; desperate; despicable; despised; despondent; destitute; destroyed; destructive; detached; determined; detestable; detested; devalued; devastated; deviant; devil-may-care; devious; devoted; devout; diabolical; dictatorial; didactic; different; difficult; diffident; diffused; dignified; diligent; dim; dimensionless; diminished; diminutive; diplomatic; dire; direct; directionless; direful; dirty; disabled; disaffected; disagreeable; disappointed; disapproved of; disapproving; disarmed; disbelieved; disbelieving; discarded; disciplined; discombobulated; discomfited; disconcerted; disconnected; disconsolate; discontent; discontented; discounted; discouraged; discouraging; discredited; discreet; discriminated; discriminating; disdainful; disembodied; disempowered; disenchanted; disenfranchised; disfavored; disgraced; disgraceful; disgruntled; disgusted; disgusting; disharmonious; disheartened; disheveled; dishonest; dishonorable; dishonored; disillusioned; disingenuous; disinterested; disjointed; disliked; disloyal; dismal; dismayed; dismembered; dismissed; dismissive; disobedient; disobeyed; disorderly; disorganized; disoriented; disowned; disparaged; dispassionate; dispensable; dispirited; displaced; displeased; disposable; disquieted; disregarded; disrespected; disrespectful; disruptive; dissatisfied; dissed; dissident; distant; distinguished; distorted; distracted; distraught; distressed; distrusted; distrustful; disturbed; ditched; divergent; diverted; divided; dizzy; docile; dogged; dogmatic; doleful; dolorous; domesticated; dominant; dominated; domineered; domineering; done; doomed; dorky; doted on; doting; double-crossed; doubted; doubtful; dour; dowdy; down; downcast; downhearted; downtrodden; draconian; dragged down; drained; dramatic; drawn in; dreaded; dreadful; dreamy; dreary; driven; droll; drunk; dubious; dull; dulled; dumb; dumbfounded; dumbstruck; duped; dutiful; dwarfed; dynamic; dysfunctional; dysphoric; dysthymic.