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The Compass DeRose Guide to Emotion Words

The Compass
DeRose Guide to
Emotion Words
This page was written by Steven J. DeRose on 2005-04-21, and was last updated on 2005-07-06.
This page lives at: http://www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotion/index.html
This page provides a broad collection of emotion words: English words for various emotions or
feelings. They are slightly organized into broad categories of feelings. I suppose one could use a
thesaurus for this, too, but I didn't.

Emotion Words
Note: Where workable, Below, I have listed adjectives or verbs ("afraid", "boiling")
rather than nouns ("fear", "frustration"), because naming a feeling seems less direct
than using it to describe your experience.
Note: If you are trying to describe your own feelings in a non-offensive manner,
besides the age-old rule of talking in terms of "I", not "you", it is wise to avoid many
emotion words that are passive words (mostly ending in "-ed"), at least when a word
can be negative. For example, "I feel attacked" can come across as implying "and you
attacked me," which probably won't help the conversation much. Such words are
struck-through below when I have gotten around to it.
You may also want to see word frequency information on these words; that is, how often they
occur in English. I have extracted the number of times each one occurs in a standard 100 million
word text collection, called the British National Corpus. You can see the list sorted alphabetically
or by frequency. One limitation to be aware of, though, is that many of these words have other
uses too (for example, "livid" may be used to describe bruises more than feelings, or "dismal"
more for landscapes than people). The numbers I provide don't distinguish various uses.
I'd also like to do some cluster analysis to provide empirical instead of intuitive categories, but
that's not high on my priority list.
http://www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotionwords/ewords.html

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Categories
(I chose these categories because they seemed useful -- I have not seen any system of "basic"
emotion types that I find really convincing or precise, although many systems do exist):
Pleasure/Pain
Power/Control/Responsibility
Attachment
Social standing / Face
Acceptance
Justice
Freedom
Direction/Focus
Desire/Interest
Safety/Security
Some additional words are available in the "Unsorted" section, and at other sites such as those I
consulted when building the list:
Unsorted
Sources

Pleasure/Pain
Angry
acrimonious, angry, annoyed, appalled, bitter, boiling, cross, devastated, disgusted, enraged,
frustrated, fuming, furious, hostile, in a huff, in a stew, incensed, indignant, inflamed,
infuriated, irate, irritated, livid, mad, offended, outraged, piqued, provoked, rageful,
resentful, sullen, up in arms, virulent, worked up, wrathful, wrought up,
Sad

aching, afflicted, agonized, anguished, bereaved, blue, cheerless, clouded, crestfallen,

crushed, dark, dejected, depressed, despairing, despondent, disconsolate, discontented,
discouraged, disheartened, dismal, displeased, distressed, dolorous, down, downcast,
downhearted, dreadful, dreary, dull, embarrassed, flat, frowning, funereal, gloomy, glum,
grief-stricken, grieved, guilt, hapless, heartbroken, heavyhearted, humiliated, hurt, ill at ease,
in despair, in pain, in the dumps, injured, joyless, lonely, low spirited, low, lugubrious,
melancholy, moody, moping, mournful, mumpish [huh?], offended, oppressed, out of sorts,

http://www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotionwords/ewords.html

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pathetic, piteous, regretful, remorse, rueful, sad, shamed, shocked, somber, sorrowful,
spiritless, suffering, sulky, sullen, tortured, tragic, unhappy, victimized, woebegone, woeful,
worried,
Happy
airy, amused, animated, beatific, blissful, blithe, bright, brisk, buoyant, cheerful, cheery,
comfortable, contented, convivial, debonair, ecstatic, elated, enthusiastic, excited,
exhilarated, exultant, festive, free & easy, frisky, genial, glad, gleeful, great, happy, highspirited, hilarious, humorous, important, inspired, jaunty, jocular, jolly, jovial, joyful, joyous,
jubilant, laughting, lighthearted, lively, lucky, merry, mirthful, overjoyed, peaceful, playful,
pleased, proud, rapturous, satisfied, saucy, self-satisfied, serene, sparkling, spirited, sprightly,
sunny, terrific, thankful, tranquil, transported, vivacious,
Ecstatic
delighted, ecstatic, fabulous, fantastic, overjoyed,

Power/Control/Responsibility
Irresistible
aggressive, exhuberent, immortal, indestructible, invincible, invulnerable, irresistible,
powerful, unstoppable,
Powerless
bashful, beaten down, blocked, defeated, discouraged, disorganized, exhausted hopeless,
irresponsible, overwhelmed, powerless, stifled, thwarted, worn down, worn out,
Out of control
abused, careless, controlled, forced, impotent, obligated, obliterated, out of control,
powerless, reckless, vulnerable, weak,
Apathetic
apathetic, complacent, full of ennui, immobilized, lazy, lethargic, numb, passive, quiescent,
unconcerned, unmotivated,
Adequate
adequate, capable, competent, composed, confident, encouraged, excited, in control,
organized, responsible,

Attachment
Alone
alone, cut off, excluded, forsaken, isolated, left out, rejected, shut out, detached, lonely,
lonesome, misunderstood,
Independent
arrogant, autonomous, cocky, independent, strong, macho,
Attached
affectionate, attached, belonging, captivated, cherished, compassionate, connected,
empathetic, included, liked, loved, loving, understood,
http://www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotionwords/ewords.html

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Codependent
addicted, codependent, insecure, needy, sympathetic,
Hated
abandoned, chastised, criticized, deserted, discarded, forsaken, hated, ignored, left out, let
down, overlooked, punished, rejected, replaced, unapproved of, unlovable, unloved,
Loved
accepted, adored, adorable, approved of, desirable, entrusted, loved, validated, valued,
welcomed,

Social standing / face

Belittled
belittled, chagrined, degraded, diminished, discounted, discredited, disgraced, disrespected,
insignificant, underestimated, unsupported,
Embarrassed
ashamed, awkward, disparaged, embarrassed, guilty,
Average
average, common, ordinary,
Esteemed
admired, appreciated, esteemed, respected, revered, significant, supported, valued,
worshiped,

Justice
Cheated
abused, accused, betrayed, cheated, coerced, conned, deceived, disparaged, duped, exploited,
framed, lied to, manipulated, tricked, victimized, violated,
Singled out
affronted, categorized, cross-examined, guilty, interrogated, judged, labeled, rated, singled
out, stereotyped, wronged,
Justified
absolved, acquitted, appeased, justified, redeemed, satisfied, vindicated,
Entitled
entitled, exempt, favored, immune, privileged,

Freedom
Trapped
deceived, cornered, imprisoned, optionless, outmaneuvered, set up, stifled, trapped, tricked,
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Burdened
burdened, obligated, pressured, put upon, thwarted,
Free
autonomous, free, independent, released, unshackled,

Direction/Focus
Derailed
derailed, disjointed, disoriented, torn,
Lost
baffled, bewildered, confused, lost, unfocussed,
Focused
committed, complacent, determined, focused, in the zone,
Obsessed
compelled, consumed, obsessed,

Desire/Interest
Demoralized
demoralized, disappointed, discouraged, disheartened, disillusioned, disinclined, repulsed,
stifled, thwarted,
Bored
ambivalent, apathetic, bored, complacent, full of ennui, indifferent, lackadaisical,
unmotivated,
Attracted
absorbed, affected, agog, full of anticipation, anxious, attracted, avid, challenged, concerned,
confident, craving, curious, dedicated, desirous, eager, earnest, enchanted, engrossed,
enthusiastic, excited, fascinated, fervent, fervid, hopeful, inquisitive, inspiring, intent,
interested, intrigued, keen, motivated, needed, nosey, snoopy, zealous,
Lustful
addicted, ardent, aroused, horny, hot and bothered, infatuated, lustful, needy, passionate,
turned on, yearning,

Safety/Security
Fearful
afraid, aghast, alarmed, anxious, appalled, apprehensive, attacked, awed, cautious, chicken,
cowardly, defenseless, diffident, dismayed, doubtful, exposed, fainthearted, fearful, fidgety,
frightened, hesitant, horrified, hysterical, in fear, insecure, irresolute, menaced, misgiving,
nervous, panicked, petrified, phobic, quaking, restful, scared, shaky, shocked, suspicious,
http://www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotionwords/ewords.html

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terrified, terrorized, threatened, timid, timorous, trembling, tremulous, upset, worried,

yellow,
Anxious
apprehensive, cautious, concerned, distrustful, doubtful, dubious, full of misgiving, hesitant,
indecisive, pensive, perplexed, questioning, skeptical, suspicious, tense, unbelieving,
uncertain, uncomfortable, wavering,
Fearless
audacious, bold, brave, certain, confident, courageous, daring, dauntless, determined,
encouraged, enterprising, gallant, hardy, heroic, reassured, resolute, secure, self-reliant,
spirited, stout hearted,
Safe
at ease, calm, comfortable, composed, peaceful, secure,
Surprise
astonished, bewildered, confused, shocked, startled, surprised,

Unsorted
active, afraid, agitated, animosity, antagonistic, artificial, astounded, aware,
bad, balanced, beautiful, blurry,
cheated, childish, clear, clever, competitive, complexity, conciliated, conspicuous, constrained,
contemptuous, courteous, cruel, cynical,
deceitful, decisive, defiant, dehumanized, dependent, desperate, destructive, different, dim,
disqualified, disregarded, dissatisfied, distracted, disturbed, divided, dominated, drained, droopy,
dumb,
earthy, embittered, empty, energetic, enlightened, envious, evil, exasperated,
failure, fatigued, firm, flustered, fond, foolish, forgiving, fortunate, frank, frantic, friendly, frozen,
fulfilled, full, futile,
generous, giddy, good, grateful, greedy, gullible,
harried, hasty, haughty, helpful, helpless, homesick, honored, horrible,
imposed upon, impressed, inadequate, incapable, incompetent, inconsiderate, ineffective, inferior,
insulted, intense, intimidated, intricate, involved,
jealous, jumpy,
kind,
lenient, longing, lovable,
http://www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotionwords/ewords.html

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mature, mean, meditative, methodical, miserable, misery, misinterpreted, mocked, murderous,

natural, naughty, nice,
obnoxious, odd, one-upped, optimistic, out of place,
pained, patient, persecuted, perturbed, pessimistic, pitied, pleasant, posing, possessive, pretty,
pushy, put down, puzzled,
relaxed, relieved, respected, responsive, restless, restrained, revengeful, rewarded, ridiculous, right,
routine,
sceptical, scornful, self-confident, self-doubt, servile, sharp, shy, sick, silly, sincerity, sleepy,
slumber, smart, smothered, sneaky, snubbed, solemn, spiteful, squelched, stable, stingy, strange,
stressed, stubborn, stunned, stupid, successful, suicidal, superior, sure,
talkative, tempted, tenacious, tender, tentative, terrible, tired, tolerant, troubled, trusted,
ugly, unappreciated, unaware, undecided, undeserving, undesirable, uneasy, unequaled, unfair,
unfulfilled, unified, unmatched, unsettled, unsupported, unstable, unsure, unwanted, unworthy,
uptight, used, useless,
vehement, vigilant, vile, violent, vitriolic,
weary, whimsical, wicked, wiped out, wonderful, worthless, worthy,

Sources
The words here have been collected from a variety of sources, including those linked below. The
organizing categories are developed from those at http://eqi.org/eqe96_3.htm, as they seemed
useful. The best way to find such lists via Google is by listing several emotion words, not by trying
to characterize the topic itself.
http://eqi.org/eqe96_3.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~alternativ_psy/diserta4.htm
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emotions
http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/emotions.html
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/CAL/wordlist/
http://studenthome.nku.edu/~frederickk/moods.txt
http://www.tooter4kids.com/Friendship/feeling_words.htm
http://www.sengifted.org/articles_social/Lind_DevelopingAFeelingVocabulary.shtml
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http://home.att.net/~boyym/Feelings.html
WordMaster (also here) -- reports some work on how many positive vs. negative emotion
words people know or recall; though I find the explanations unconvincing.
Emotion Categories -- mainly just a list

http://www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotionwords/ewords.html

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