English Vocabulary for Emotions and Feelings

Q: What emotion words can I use besides happy and sad?

For positive feelings you can use pleased, glad, delighted, thrilled and content; for negative feelings, upset, disappointed, annoyed, frustrated and anxious. Choosing precise words makes your English more expressive than relying on happy and sad.

Q: What is the difference between -ed and -ing adjectives?

-ed adjectives describe how a person feels, such as bored or interested, while -ing adjectives describe the thing that causes the feeling, such as boring or interesting. So you say “I am bored” but “the film is boring.”

Q: Why can’t I say “very furious”?

Strong adjectives such as furious, terrified and delighted are non-gradable because they already express an extreme. Instead of very, use absolutely or really, as in “absolutely furious.” Using very with them sounds unnatural.

Q: What are some words for being afraid?

Words for fear range in intensity from nervous and worried to scared, frightened and the very strong terrified. Choosing the right one shows how strong the fear is, from mild unease to extreme fear.

Q: Are emotion words formal or informal?

Emotion words vary in register. Glad and upset are fairly neutral, while ecstatic or miserable are more expressive, and slang terms are informal. Choosing words to match the situation keeps your English appropriate and natural.

Vocabulary LexFizz Team 9 min read 15 June 2026

Part of the Everyday English Series

Practise with our Flash Cards and Speaking Cards. See also Adjectives Guide and Vocabulary Building Tips.

Key Takeaways

English has many emotion words beyond happy and sad.
Group feelings by intensity: pleased → delighted → thrilled.
-ed adjectives describe how you feel (bored); -ing describes the cause (boring).
Use phrases like I feel..., I'm a bit..., I'm really....
Precise emotion words make your English more expressive and natural.

Want to practise straight away? Try a Grammar Quiz →

Describing how you feel is essential in everyday conversation, but many learners rely only on happy and sad. English has a rich vocabulary of emotions and feelings, plus an important grammar point: the difference between -ed and -ing adjectives. This guide expands your emotional vocabulary and shows you how to use it accurately.

Positive Feelings

Move beyond happy with a range of positive words.

pleased, glad, cheerful, content

delighted, thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed

calm, relaxed, grateful, proud

Negative Feelings

Likewise, go beyond sad and angry.

upset, disappointed, miserable, gloomy

annoyed, frustrated, furious, irritated

anxious, nervous, worried, scared

Degrees of Feeling

Many feelings come in degrees of intensity. Choosing the right strength makes you precise.

Intensity Scales

Mild	Strong
pleased	delighted / thrilled
annoyed	furious
worried	terrified

Tip: Strong adjectives like furious are non-gradable, so use absolutely, not very: absolutely furious.

-ed vs -ing Adjectives

This is a key grammar point. -ed adjectives describe how a person feels; -ing adjectives describe the thing that causes the feeling.

I am bored. (how I feel)

The film is boring. (the cause)

She was interested because the talk was interesting.

Useful Phrases

Useful sentence frames for describing feelings:

I feel a bit nervous.

I'm really excited about the trip.

I'm absolutely exhausted.

It makes me feel anxious.

Common Mistakes

The most common mistake is confusing -ed and -ing adjectives, for example saying I am boring when you mean I am bored. Another is using very with strong, non-gradable adjectives, as in very furious instead of absolutely furious. A third is overusing happy and sad when a precise word would be clearer. Learning the scales of intensity solves the last problem.

Describing How You Feel

Once you have a range of emotion words, the next step is combining them with the right grammar to talk about real situations. The examples below show feelings linked to their causes.

I was thrilled when I got the job — the news was absolutely thrilling.

She felt frustrated because the instructions were so confusing.

I'm a bit nervous about the exam, but I'm also excited.

Each sentence pairs an -ed adjective for the feeling with, where useful, an -ing adjective for the cause, and chooses a word at the right strength. To build this skill, think of three recent situations and describe how you felt and why, using a precise word rather than happy or sad. Talking about your own experiences makes the vocabulary personal and memorable, and it gives you ready-made phrases for the next time someone asks how you are.

Emotions also come up constantly when you respond to other people, so it is useful to have phrases for reacting as well as describing. You can show sympathy with "That must have been so frustrating" or "I'm sorry to hear that", and share good news with "You must be thrilled!" or "How exciting!" Matching the strength of your reaction to the situation — a gentle "That's a shame" for a small setback, a stronger "That's awful" for serious news — shows real fluency. The more precisely you can name and respond to feelings, the warmer and more natural your conversations become, because so much of everyday talk is really about how people feel.

Practise everyday English today

Use LexFizz flash-card and speaking exercises to master emotion vocabulary — free, no sign-up needed.

Try Flash Cards →

Frequently Asked Questions

What emotion words can I use besides happy and sad?

For positive feelings you can use pleased, glad, delighted, thrilled and content; for negative feelings, upset, disappointed, annoyed, frustrated and anxious. Choosing precise words makes your English more expressive than relying on happy and sad.

What is the difference between -ed and -ing adjectives?

-ed adjectives describe how a person feels, such as bored or interested, while -ing adjectives describe the thing that causes the feeling, such as boring or interesting. So you say “I am bored” but “the film is boring.”

Should I say “I am boring” or “I am bored”?

If you mean you feel bored, say “I am bored.” Saying “I am boring” means that you make other people feel bored, which is rarely what learners intend. This is one of the most common mistakes with feeling adjectives.

How do I describe degrees of emotion?

Many feelings come in mild and strong versions. For example, pleased is mild while delighted or thrilled is strong, and annoyed is mild while furious is strong. Choosing the right strength makes your description precise.

Why can’t I say “very furious”?

Strong adjectives such as furious, terrified and delighted are non-gradable because they already express an extreme. Instead of very, use absolutely or really, as in “absolutely furious.” Using very with them sounds unnatural.

What phrases can I use to describe feelings?

Useful frames include “I feel a bit...”, “I’m really...” and “I’m absolutely...”, as in “I feel a bit nervous” or “I’m really excited.” You can also say “It makes me feel...” to describe what causes an emotion.

How do I talk about what causes a feeling?

Use an -ing adjective for the cause and an -ed adjective for the feeling, often together: “She was interested because the talk was interesting.” You can also say “It makes me feel anxious” to link a cause to an emotion.

What are some words for being afraid?

Words for fear range in intensity from nervous and worried to scared, frightened and the very strong terrified. Choosing the right one shows how strong the fear is, from mild unease to extreme fear.

Are emotion words formal or informal?

Emotion words vary in register. Glad and upset are fairly neutral, while ecstatic or miserable are more expressive, and slang terms are informal. Choosing words to match the situation keeps your English appropriate and natural.

How can I practise emotion vocabulary?

Group the words into positive and negative sets and along intensity scales, and practise the -ed and -ing pairs in sentences. LexFizz’s Flash Cards and Speaking Cards exercises offer free practice.