| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | academic | related to study and ideas |
| 2. | acerbic | sharp and critical |
| 3. | acrimonious | bitter and angry |
| 4. | adversarial | opposing and confrontational |
| 5. | animated | full of movement and feeling |
| 6. | articulate | able to express ideas clearly |
| 7. | assertive | confidently expressing opinions |
| 8. | astute | clever and perceptive |
| 9. | balanced | fairly considering both sides |
| 10. | bitter | full of resentment or anger |
| 11. | blunt | very direct and plain |
| 12. | calm | peaceful and not agitated |
| 13. | candid | truthful and direct |
| 14. | charged | filled with strong emotion |
| 15. | civil | polite and respectful |
| 16. | clamorous | loud and demanding attention |
| 17. | coherent | clear and connected |
| 18. | combative | ready to argue or fight |
| 19. | confrontational | aggressively challenging |
| 20. | contentious | likely to cause disagreement |
| 21. | cool-headed | remaining calm under pressure |
| 22. | deliberate | done intentionally and carefully |
| 23. | diplomatic | careful to avoid offense |
| 24. | direct | straightforward and clear |
| 25. | disciplined | well controlled and orderly |
| 26. | divisive | causing disagreement and division |
| 27. | dogmatic | stating opinions as certain |
| 28. | drawn-out | lasting too long |
| 29. | eloquent | fluent and persuasive |
| 30. | ethical | relating to moral principles |
| 31. | even-handed | fair to all sides |
| 32. | explosive | likely to erupt suddenly |
| 33. | fair-minded | willing to judge fairly |
| 34. | fiery | showing strong anger or passion |
| 35. | focused | concentrating on the issue |
| 36. | forceful | powerfully expressed |
| 37. | formal | following official style |
| 38. | frank | open and honest |
| 39. | fraught | full of tension |
| 40. | grave | very serious |
| 41. | guarded | careful in what is said |
| 42. | heated | intensely emotional or angry |
| 43. | hostile | showing opposition or anger |
| 44. | ideological | based on political beliefs |
| 45. | impartial | treating sides equally |
| 46. | incisive | clear and sharply focused |
| 47. | inflexible | unwilling to change |
| 48. | informal | relaxed and casual |
| 49. | insightful | showing clear understanding |
| 50. | intellectual | focused on ideas and reasoning |
| 51. | intense | very strong or extreme |
| 52. | lively | full of energy and activity |
| 53. | logical | following clear reasoning |
| 54. | lucid | expressed clearly |
| 55. | meaningful | having real importance |
| 56. | measured | careful and controlled |
| 57. | methodical | done in an orderly way |
| 58. | moderate | not extreme |
| 59. | moral | concerned with right and wrong |
| 60. | neutral | not taking sides |
| 61. | nuanced | showing subtle differences |
| 62. | objective | not influenced by feelings |
| 63. | open-minded | willing to consider new ideas |
| 64. | organized | arranged in a clear way |
| 65. | passionate | showing strong feelings |
| 66. | penetrating | showing deep insight |
| 67. | persuasive | good at convincing others |
| 68. | philosophical | deeply thoughtful and reflective |
| 69. | pointed | direct and sharply critical |
| 70. | polarized | divided into opposing sides |
| 71. | political | related to government or power |
| 72. | probing | searching deeply into issues |
| 73. | productive | leading to useful results |
| 74. | rational | guided by reason |
| 75. | raucous | noisy and disorderly |
| 76. | reasoned | based on logic |
| 77. | receptive | willing to listen |
| 78. | respectful | showing politeness and regard |
| 79. | restrained | controlled and moderate |
| 80. | rigid | not flexible in views |
| 81. | robust | strong and effective |
| 82. | scholarly | academic and learned |
| 83. | serious | thoughtful and important |
| 84. | sober | serious and sensible |
| 85. | solemn | serious and formal |
| 86. | sound | based on good judgment |
| 87. | spirited | energetic and enthusiastic |
| 88. | stormy | marked by strong conflict |
| 89. | subdued | quiet and restrained |
| 90. | substantive | dealing with important matters |
| 91. | tactical | carefully planned for effect |
| 92. | temperate | calm and moderate |
| 93. | tense | showing nervous strain |
| 94. | thoughtful | showing careful consideration |
| 95. | trenchant | forceful and effective |
| 96. | tumultuous | very loud and confused |
| 97. | unyielding | not giving way |
| 98. | uproarious | extremely noisy and excited |
| 99. | vigorous | strong and forceful |
| 100. | well-founded | supported by evidence |
