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Home » Examples » Positive and Negative Connotations: Example Sentences

Positive and Negative Connotations:

Example Sentences
Has someone ever said something to you that rubbed you the wrong way? Meanwhile,
they're wondering why you've taken such o ense to something they casually said. Well,
words matter. And the words we choose in our everyday speech and writing is a re ection of
our thoughts.

Connotation is an idea or feeling that a word evokes. If something has a positive connotation,
it will evoke warm feelings. Meanwhile, something with a negative connotation will make
someone feel less than pleasant. To call someone "verbose" when you want to say they're a
"great conversationalist" may not convey that. Your tone could imply they talk too much or
that they're lovely to be around. In the positive and negative connotation example sentences
below, you'll be able to take a look at both sides of the coin.

Di erence Between a Positive and Negative Connotation

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below. Some will come o as rude or snobbish. Others will appear to be well-spoken and
gentle. The connotation of certain words will a ect not only how you feel about what's being
said, but also how you feel about the person using the words.

These pairs of positive and negative sentences will show you how words that are actually
synonyms for each other can come across as warm, neutral, or very cold.

Mature vs. Elderly

Positive: My new neighbor is a mature woman.

Negative: My new neighbor is an elderly woman.

Mature carries the connotation of digni ed, while, elderly just sounds "old."

Economical vs. Cheap

Positive: Before he makes any purchases, Billy likes to do his research; he's very economical.

Negative: Before he makes any purchases, Billy likes to do his research; he's so cheap.

When we think of someone economical, we tend to consider them to be logical and wise.
Meanwhile, cheap is a derogatory term for someone stingy.

Take a look at Connotative Words: Examples and Exercises. There, we review why
connotation is so important, and demonstrate the positive, neutral and negative
connotations of words.

Challenge vs. Di cult

Positive: Yesterday's workout was a challenge.

Negative: Yesterday's workout was very di cult.

For something to be a challenge, it's not necessarily bad, you may actually enjoy it. But, a
di culty is usually unpleasant.

Conversationalist vs. Chatty

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Negative: Oh! It's Lydia. She's so chatty.

To call someone a great conversationalist is a compliment. If someone's chatty, that tends

toward "annoying."

Pretty vs. Hot

Positive: David's new girlfriend is so pretty.

Negative: David's new girlfriend is so hot.

Every woman wants to feel pretty. Some like to be called "hot," as well. However, that label
can carry a more sexist undertone.

Determined vs. Stubborn

Positive: The more you work with him, the more you'll nd he's a very determined man.

Negative: The more you work with him, the more you'll nd he's a very stubborn man.

There's not much wrong with being determined; it means you're likely to get things done. To
be labeled stubborn, however, is less than appealing.

Ready to see some of the literary greats use connotation to their advantage? Check out
Connotation in Literature Examples and see how a single word can change the meaning of a
sentence.

Unique vs. Weird

Positive: Is that what you're reading? Your interests sure are unique.

Negative: Is that what you're reading? Your interests sure are weird.

Uniqueness is a bit like prettiness; there's nothing wrong with being special. Weird, however,
carries a very negative undertone.

Reserved vs. Timid

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Negative: She'll open up eventually; she's just a little timid around new people.

To be reserved means you're a bit of an observer; that's hardly a "dig" at someone. However,
to be labeled timid means others probably think you're too shy.

Laid Back vs. Lazy

Positive: He's too laid back to clean the dust o the ceiling fan.

Negative: He's too lazy to clean the dust o the ceiling fan.

Who doesn't love a laid back, zen soul? To call someone lazy, though, means you don't hold
them in high regard; you dislike their lack of motivation.

Energetic vs. Hyperactive

Positive: That child is more than a little energetic.

Negative: That child is more than a little hyperactive.

Most children are energetic; that can be a lot of fun to be around. Anything with the "hyer"
pre x, however, insinuates just a little bit too much.

Driven vs. Pushy

Positive: Our new boss is incredibly driven.

Negative: Our new boss is incredibly pushy.

Sort of like "determined," a driven individual is inspiring. But, the moment someone crosses
over into "pushy" is a recipe for disaster.

Curious vs. Nosy

Positive: She's a very curious child.

Negative: She's a very nosy child.

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Simple vs. Dumb

Positive: Let's just say she's a little more simple than others her age.

Negative: Let's just say she's dumb.

To be "simple" or "simple-minded," probably means you're very sweet, but not the smartest
person in the room. To be labeled as at out dumb is not only hurtful but deliberately
insulting.

Excited vs. Anxious

Positive: I'm really excited to meet him.

Negative: I'm really anxious about meeting him.

Who doesn't love to be excited? It means something great is coming. To be anxious isn't
necessarily a bad thing, either. It just connotes a little bit of nervous energy; it's not quite as
appealing as pure excitement and joy.

Assertive vs. Aggressive

Positive: You can always count on him to be assertive.

Negative: You can always count on him to be aggressive.

Much like a determined soul, an assertive person is going to take initiative and "get things
done." An aggressive person, however, is someone people ee from.

Reduced vs. Slashed

Positive: Her course load has been reduced.

Negative: Her course load has been slashed.

To have something reduced can be a good thing; there's no telling. However, the moment
something's been slashed, it means it happened suddenly and dramatically.
 Con This
dent vs. Egotistical
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Positive: At work and at home, she's very con dent.

Negative: At work and at home, she's very egotistical.

Determined… assertive… con dent. Each of these labels carries a positive connotation; they
indicate a "go-getter." However, once someone slips from con dent to egotistical, they're no
longer an inspiration to be around.

Intelligent vs. Nerd

Positive: Wow! I didn't know he was so intelligent.

Negative: Wow! I didn't know he was such a nerd.

To carry a mark of intelligence is a high compliment. Today, for the most part, "nerd" can be a
term of endearment. But, there's still a tinge of negativity to the word, as though the person's
not "cool."

Generous vs. Extravagant

Positive: Your gift to the foundation was too generous.

Negative: Your gift to the foundation was too extravagant.

To compliment someone's generosity is to o er high praise. If, however, you call their act of
kindness extravagant, you're telling them they went too far (and that's hardly
complimentary).

Fun vs. Interesting

Positive: Welp, last night was fun.

Negative: Welp, last night was… interesting.

Everyone wants to know they've o ered someone a good, fun time. If, however, someone
hesitates slightly and uses the word "interesting" instead of "fun," you should probably worry
that something was amiss for them.
Conscious Connotation
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In your speech and writing, make the conscious decision to connotate your precise meaning.
Every word has a de nitive de nition. That's what's known as denotation. There's no room
for interpretation. Meanwhile, other words have added connotations or innuendos. So it pays
to think before you speak.

For more on word choice and the importance of saying what we mean, check out
What's the Di erence Between Connotation and Denotation. It's a great study on words as a
whole and the power of language.

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