Here are some English words for emotions you might want to know.
ENGLISH WORDS FOR EMOTIONS – If you can’t seem to find the exact words for what you feel, here are some that might help.
Emotions and feelings are essential parts of being a human. Identifying them can sometimes be hard, messy, complicated, and downright confusing at times, but knowing them and learning how to open up is all part of developing emotional health.

There are five categories when it comes to our emotions:
- anger
- fear
- sadness
- disgust
- enjoyment
Paul Ekman, a psychologist and leading researcher on emotions, created them to help people easily break down the complexity of what they feel.
- Enjoyment
This is when we feel generally happy, calm, and at peace in certain comfortable situations.
Some words with similar thought:
- happiness
- love
- relief
- contentment
- amusement
- joy
- pride
- excitement
- peace
- satisfaction
- Sadness
Some of the manifestations of this emotion are heaviness in the chest, tearfulness, low energy, and slumped posture.
Some words with similar thought:
- lonely
- heartbroken
- gloomy
- disappointed
- hopeless
- grieved
- unhappy
- lost
- troubled
- resigned
- miserable
- Fear
This happens when there’s any type of threat around.
Some words with similar thought:
- worried
- doubtful
- nervous
- anxious
- terrified
- panicked
- horrified
- desperate
- confused
- stressed
- Anger
This is felt when there’s frustration, a threat, or an experience of injustice.
Some words with similar thought:
- annoyed
- frustrated
- peeved
- contrary
- bitter
- infuriated
- irritated
- mad
- cheated
- vengeful
- insulted
- Disgust
This is what people feel if they are in an unpleasant or unwanted situation as a reaction.
Some words with similar thought:
- dislike
- revulsion
- loathing
- disapproving
- offended
- horrified
- uncomfortable
- nauseated
- disturbed
- withdrawn
- aversion
For something playful and more descriptive terms, here are some other emotions and feelings with their negative counterparts and context-based terms.
| Positive Feeling Words | Negative Feeling Words | Context-Specific Words |
| amazed | aggravated | anxious |
| attractive | awful | awestruck |
| bold | chilly | bashful |
| brave | dejected | cautious |
| bubbly | dirty | composed |
| cheerful | dreadful | easygoing |
| comfortable | heavy | horrified |
| delightful | irritated | intelligent |
| excited | pessimistic | numb |
| festive | tearful | puzzled |
| free | tense | quizzical |
| jolly | terrible | ravenous |
| optimistic | tired | reluctant |
| proud | ugly | settled |
| wonderful | weak | shy |
| Positive Emotion Words | Negative Emotion Words | Context-Specific Words |
| appreciative | angry | accepting |
| blissful | disenchanted | calm |
| contented | distressed | confident |
| ecstatic | glum | cool |
| elated | gloomy | earnest |
| glad | grumpy | easy |
| happy | grouchy | evenhanded |
| joyful | miserable | indifferent |
| jubilant | mad | neutral |
| merry | moody | nostalgic |
| respectful | nervous | passive |
| sweet | sad | reserved |
| serene | sadistic | satisfied |
| upbeat | selfish | sentimental |
| vivacious | sour | surprised |