Explanation

Carefully chosen words have the power to bring a person or story to life and impact the readers' impression. If you’re like most people, though, you often use the same words when writing about emotions. Here are some commonly used words to describe emotions and feelings as well as many alternatives that may help your readers better understand what you're trying to convey.

Confused

High: bewildered, baffled, perplexed, disoriented, stunned, amazed, astonished, flabbergasted

Moderate: doubtful, puzzled, surprised, perplexed, befuddled, distracted, disorganized

Low: misled, undecided, uncertain, lost, dazed, unsure, indecisive

Scared

High: terrified, overwhelmed, panicked, petrified, alarmed, fearful

Moderate: worried, tense, dread, shaken, anxious, afraid, panicky, panicked

Low: startled, surprised, uneasy, edgy, apprehensive, hesitant, uncomfortable

Angry

High: furious, raging, irate, hateful, incensed, hostile, outraged, indignant, exasperated

Moderate: aggravated, irritated, irked, upset, annoyed, offended, sulky, ticked off, fuming, sullen, provoked

Low: perturbed, hassled, bothered, fuss, fret, displeased, peeved

Sad

High: grieved, crushed, gloomy, hopeless, heartbroken, devastated, despairing, distraught, heavyhearted, miserable

Moderate: dejected, dismayed, hurt, hurting, disillusioned, downcast, forlorn, glum, cheerless, melancholy

Low: down, disappointed, blue, discouraged, low, somber, sorry, unhappy

Weak

High: ashamed, exhausted, powerless, anemic, decrepit, frail, useless, depleted

Moderate: vulnerable, inept, inadequate, worn out, helpless, spent, run down, sluggish, fragile

Low: tired, weary, limp, soft, feeble, ineffective

Happy

High: excited, thrilled, ecstatic, elated, intoxicated, captivated, euphoric, joyous, jubilant, overjoyed

Moderate: cheerful, upbeat, optimistic, enthusiastic, lively, gleeful, joyful, peppy, delighted, tickled, hopeful

Low: merry, light, jolly, up, glad, pleased, blissful, chipper, content, perky, playful

Strong

High: powerful, potent, fearless, forceful, mighty, emphatically, active, vigorous, unyielding

Moderate: confident, tough, robust, brave, sound, daring, hardy, hefty

Low: capable, adequate, firm, assured, steady, stable, solid

“Utter Articulation: Instructional Potential of Word Matrices”
Kris, Gottlieb, Cami Whitehead, and David Clarke
Used with permission by the Sam Houston State University Writing Center, 3/2008