The following list of emotion words was compiled from an online search by computer linguist Steven DeRose. It attests to the subtlety and diversity of human emotional experience. The list can be used to find a label for almost any emotion you’re likely to have in daily life.
This list, as well as the author’s sources, can also be found at www.derose.net/steve/resources/emotionwords/ewords.html. Reprinted by permission of Steven J. DeRose.
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
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, griefstricken, 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, offended, oppressed, out of sorts, pathetic, piteous, regretful, remorse, rueful, shamed, shocked, somber, sorrowful, spiritless, suffering, sulky, sullen, tortured, tragic, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, worried
airy, amused, animated, beatific, blissful, blithe, bright, brisk, buoyant, cheerful, cheery, comfortable, contented, convivial, debonair, ecstatic, elated, enthusiastic, excited, exhilarated, exultant, festive, free and easy, frisky, genial, glad, gleeful, great, high-spirited, hilarious, humorous, important, inspired, jaunty, jocular, jolly, jovial, joyful, joyous, jubilant, laughing, 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
delighted, fabulous, fantastic, overjoyed
aggressive, exuberant, immortal, indestructible, invincible, invulnerable, powerful, unstoppable
bashful, blocked, defeated, discouraged, disorganized, exhausted, hopeless, irresponsible, overwhelmed, thwarted, worn down, worn out
careless, impotent, obligated, obliterated, powerless, reckless, vulnerable, weak
complacent, full of ennui, immobilized, lazy, lethargic, numb, passive, quiescent, unconcerned, unmotivated
capable, competent, composed, confident, encouraged, excited, in control, organized, responsible
cut off, excluded, forsaken, isolated, left out, rejected, shut out, detached, lonely, lonesome, misunderstood
arrogant, autonomous, cocky, strong, macho
affectionate, belonging, captivated, cherished, compassionate, connected, empathetic, included, liked, loved, loving, understood
addicted, insecure, needy, sympathetic
abandoned, chastised, criticized, deserted, discarded, forsaken, ignored, left out, let down, overlooked, rejected, replaced, unapproved of, unlovable, unloved
accepted, adored, adorable, approved of, desirable, entrusted, loved, validated, valued, welcomed
chagrined, diminished, discredited, disgraced, insignificant, underestimated, unsupported
ashamed, awkward, disparaged, guilty
common, ordinary
admired, appreciated, respected, revered, significant, supported, valued, worshiped
disparaged, victimized
affronted, categorized, guilty, judged, labeled, rated, stereotyped
absolved, acquitted, appeased, redeemed, satisfied, vindicated
exempt, favored, immune, privileged
imprisoned, optionless
obligated, pressured, put upon, thwarted
autonomous, independent, released, unshackled
disjointed, disoriented, torn
baffled, bewildered, confused, unfocused
committed, complacent, determined, in the zone
compelled, consumed
disappointed, discouraged, disheartened, disillusioned, disinclined, repulsed, stifled, thwarted
ambivalent, apathetic, complacent, full of ennui, indifferent, lackadaisical, unmotivated
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
addicted, ardent, aroused, horny, hot and bothered, infatuated, lustful, needy, passionate, turned on, yearning
afraid, aghast, alarmed, anxious, appalled, apprehensive, 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, terrified, terrorized, timid, timorous, trembling, tremulous, upset, worried, yellow
apprehensive, cautious, concerned, distrustful, doubtful, dubious, full of misgiving, hesitant, indecisive, pensive, perplexed, questioning, skeptical, suspicious, tense, unbelieving, uncertain, uncomfortable, wavering
audacious, bold, brave, certain, confident, courageous, daring, dauntless, determined, encouraged, enterprising, gallant, hardy, heroic, reassured, resolute, secure, self-reliant, spirited, stout-hearted
at ease, calm, comfortable, composed, peaceful, secure
astonished, bewildered, confused, shocked, startled, surprised
active, afraid, agitated, animosity, antagonistic, artificial, astounded, aware
bad, balanced, beautiful, blurry
childish, clear, clever, competitive, complexity, conciliated, conspicuous, constrained, contemptuous, courteous, cruel, cynical
deceitful, decisive, defiant, dependent, desperate, destructive, different, dim, disqualified, disregarded, dissatisfied, distracted, disturbed, divided, 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, intense, intimidated, intricate, involved
jealous, jumpy
kind
lenient, longing, lovable
mature, mean, meditative, methodical, miserable, misery, mocked, murderous
natural, naughty, nice
obnoxious, odd, optimistic, out of place
pained, patient, perturbed, pessimistic, pitied, pleasant, posing, possessive, pretty, pushy, put down, puzzled
relaxed, relieved, respected, responsive, restless, restrained, revengeful, rewarded, ridiculous, right, routine
skeptical, scornful, self-confident, self-doubt, servile, sharp, shy, sick, silly, sincerity, sleepy, slumber, smart, sneaky, solemn, spiteful, stable, stingy, strange, stressed, stubborn, stunned, stupid, successful, suicidal, superior, sure talkative, tempted, tenacious, tender, tentative, terrible, tired, tolerant, troubled, trusted
ugly, unaware, undecided, undeserving, undesirable, uneasy, unequaled, unfair, unfulfilled, unified, unmatched, unsettled, unsupported, unstable, unsure, unwanted, unworthy, uptight, useless
vehement, vigilant, vile, violent, vitriolic
weary, whimsical, wicked, wiped out, wonderful, worthless, worthy