Emotions in English: Words to Describe How You Feel
The English language offers a rich vocabulary to express the wide range of human emotions. From joy and excitement to sadness, anger and everything in between.
Whether you’re describing your own feelings or trying to understand someone else’s, using the right emotional vocabulary helps you connect more deeply and express yourself more clearly.
Students can use the words below to describe emotions in different contexts, both formal and informal, positive and negative. Expanding your emotional vocabulary will not only improve your fluency, but also help you sound more natural and expressive in English.
Positive Emotions
Use these words to describe feelings of happiness, excitement and contentment:
Elated: Extremely happy or thrilled.
She felt elated after receiving the job offer.
Grateful: Feeling thankful or appreciative.
He was grateful for his friend’s support during a hard time.
Content: Peacefully happy and satisfied.
I’m feeling content with my quiet weekend at home.
Excited: Full of enthusiasm or eagerness.
The children were excited about their trip to the zoo.
Proud: Feeling pleased about one’s own or someone else’s achievements.
She was proud of her students’ hard work.
Relieved: Free from worry or stress after a difficult situation.
He was relieved to hear the test results were normal.
Hopeful: Feeling optimistic about the future.
Despite the challenges, she remained hopeful.
Joyful: Feeling pure happiness and delight.
The wedding was a joyful celebration.
Confident: Feeling self-assured and positive in one’s abilities.
He felt confident before giving his presentation.
Inspired: Feeling motivated or uplifted by something or someone.
The speech left the audience feeling inspired.
Negative Emotions
These words help describe sadness, frustration, fear or anger:
Anxious: Feeling worried or uneasy about something uncertain.
She felt anxious before the interview.
Depressed: Deeply sad, often for a long time.
He became depressed after losing his job.
Frustrated: Feeling annoyed due to obstacles or delays.
I felt frustrated when the computer kept crashing.
Jealous: Feeling envious or threatened by someone else’s success or attention.
She felt jealous when her friend won the award.
Guilty: Feeling responsible or remorseful for something wrong.
He felt guilty for forgetting her birthday.
Angry: Feeling strong displeasure or rage.
She was angry after being treated unfairly.
Embarrassed: Feeling self-conscious or ashamed.
He was embarrassed when he tripped on stage.
Lonely: Feeling isolated or lacking companionship.
Many people feel lonely in a new city.
Overwhelmed: Feeling emotionally or mentally overloaded.
He felt overwhelmed by his responsibilities.
Bitter: Feeling resentful due to hurt or unfairness.
She still felt bitter after the argument.
Neutral or Mixed Emotions
These words describe complex, subtle or uncertain emotional states:
Nervous: Slightly anxious or uneasy, often before a big event.
He was nervous before his driving test.
Curious: Eager to know or learn something new.
I’m curious about how this story ends.
Surprised: Feeling sudden amazement or shock.
They were surprised by the unexpected news.
Conflicted: Having mixed or opposing feelings about something.
She felt conflicted about accepting the promotion.
Indifferent: Feeling little or no interest or concern.
He seemed indifferent to the outcome.
Thoughtful: Reflective or deep in thought (can be positive or neutral).
She sat quietly, looking thoughtful.
Tense: Feeling tight with stress or pressure.
The atmosphere was tense during the debate.
Uncertain: Feeling unsure or doubtful about something.
He felt uncertain about his future plans.
Tips for Learners
Understanding and expressing emotions clearly in English helps you connect with others and communicate more naturally. When learning a new emotion word, try to:
- Use it in a sentence
- Learn common collocations
- Learn related idioms
- Practise with real-life situations