Emotions Vocabulary: Expressing Yourself in English

Sometimes you come across situations where you have no idea how to express yourself in English. In such situations, it is important that you use appropriate words and phrases to be able to express yourself well.

Here’s a list of English words and phrases you can use to express yourself in a better way👇🏾

ExpressionMeaningExample
afraid of your own shadowto be very frightful, easily afraidSomeone with a traumatic past is often afraid of his/her own shadow.
ambivalenthaving mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someoneI felt very ambivalent about joining the army.
angryfeeling or showing strong annoyance, displeasure, or hostilityThey were angry about the tournament.
annoyedslightly angry, irritatedShe was annoyed with my absence.
anxiousfeeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcomePeople are often anxious about the future.
baffledtotally bewilder or perplexThe complex puzzle baffled me for several hours.
be as hard as nailsa person who is insensitive and has no compassion or empathy for othersLotti will be good in this business because she is as hard as nails.
boredfeeling weary and impatientI was so bored that I slept through the second half of the film. 
contentin a state of peaceful happinessHe seemed content with his new job.
crossannoyedHe was cross with me because I did not give him a bonus.
curiouseager to know or learn somethingWe’re curious about why you never called us back.
delightedfeeling or showing great pleasureI know Mary will be delighted to see you.
depressedin a state of unhappiness or despondencyShe was depressed by the loss of her puppy.
disgustedfeeling or expressing revulsion or strong disapprovalHe disgusted everyone by spitting.
downhearteddiscouraged, in low spiritsWhen no replies came, I began to feel downhearted.
drive up the wallwhen you annoy someoneMy singing drives my mother up the wall.
elatedecstatically happy I was so elated on my wedding day.
euphoriccharacterized by or feeling intense excitement and happinessHe was euphoric when he received the Oscar.
excitedvery enthusiastic and eagerPeople have the habit of speaking loudly when they’re excited about something.
feel bluefeel sadShe’s feeling blue after losing the match.
feel highto be very happyHe is flying high after a successful day at work.
feel lowfeel dispirited or be sad and gloomyI am feeling low because my exams are starting tomorrow.
fool’s paradiseto be happy only because you ignore the real issueDan is in fool’s paradise, since he thinks he will get a promotion.
furiousvery angryHe was furious about the accident.
gladfeeling pleasure or happinessI am very glad to see you.
gleefulexuberantly or triumphantly joyfulChildren are gleeful creatures who do not care about their future.
go to piecesto have a mental or emotional breakdownJames went to pieces after hearing about the death of his mother.
grief-strickenextremely sadAfter his wife died in a car accident, he was left grief-stricken.
guiltyculpable of or responsible for a specified wrongdoingThe old man is guilty of stealing money.
happymarked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joyI am happy for her.
hopefulfeeling or inspiring optimism about a future eventHe is hopeful that things will get better soon.
indifferenthaving no particular interest or sympathy; unconcernedLots of people are indifferent to politics.
irritatedshowing or feeling slight anger; annoyedLily was getting irritated by all her questions.
joyfulfeeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happinessIt was a joyful celebration.
jubilantfeeling or expressing great happiness and triumphThe fans were jubilant about England’s victory.
lonelysad because one has no friends or companyOld age homes are for lonely old people who have no families.
lovedfeel deep affection for someoneShe was loved and respected by the whole community.
mirthfulfull of mirth; merry or amusingThe man felt mirthful while holding his first son.
nostalgicfeeling, evoking, or characterized by nostalgia (a sentimental longing for a period in the past)When the old song came on the radio, Raine suddenly felt nostalgic for her high school years.
on top of the worldto be jubilant and feel amazingAfter I got that role in the film, I felt on top of the world.
pensiveengaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thoughtAfter losing her job, she became withdrawn and pensive, hardly speaking to anyone.
petrified ofextremely frightened, especially so that you cannot move or decide what to doThe thought of living with blindness petrified me.
proudfeeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of achievements, qualities, or possessions They are the proud parents of a hero.
puzzle overto think carefully about someone or something for a long time and try to understand themThey puzzled over the question for quite a while.
sadfeeling or showing sorrow; unhappyShe clearly felt sad to see the day end.
scaredfrightenedHe’s scared to walk alone at night.
seethingbe filled with intense but unexpressed angerWe found ourselves in the middle of a seething crowd.
to be in a stewto be extremely concerned or upset about somethingI am in a stew! My husband is not back home yet!
tranquilto feel calm and peacefulSince we were the only ones on the beach, we enjoyed a tranquil day.
vexedannoyed, frustrated, or worriedShe concluded from his tone that he was vexed with her.
wistfulhaving or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longingI became wistful when I saw my ex-husband with his new wife.

Do you know any others words or phrases that depict your emotions well? Let us know in the comments below👇🏾


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