A Handy List of Feeling Words

As I said in my last post, it's important to recognize and accept the full range of human emotions. However, people who have gotten into the habit of shutting off their emotions may find it difficult to identify them at first. It can be helpful in these cases to refer to a list of possible feeling words.

This list organizes feelings in two ways: type of feeling (angry, sad, happy), and intensity of feeling (irritated, mad, enraged)

                                   Slight                            Moderate                    Extreme                     

Happy                        glad                               relieved                       joyous
                                   pleased                         delighted                     blissful
                                   amused                         merry                          enthralled
                                   playful                          festive                         exhilarated
                                   cheerful                         happy                         wonderful
                                   optimistic                      glowing                      radiant
                                   calm                              bubbly                        overjoyed
                                   comfortable                   giddy                          vivacious
                                   cool                               proud                          jubilant
                                   secure                            excited                        elated
                                   relaxed                          peaceful                       fabulous
                                   confident                       eager                           ecstatic

Sad                             bored                             sad                              hopeless
                                   discontented                  distressed                    miserable
                                   resigned                        discouraged                 downcast
                                   apathetic                        lost                              helpless
                                   blah                               burdened                     depressed
                                   melancholy                   disheartened                abandoned
                                   blue                               bewildered                  withdrawn
                                   glum                              gloomy                        despairing
                                   unhappy                         lonely                          desperate
                                   drained                           lifeless                        griefstriken
                                   moody                            dejected                      anguished
                                   troubled                          rejected                      heavy-hearted
                                   empty                             slighted                      despondent
                                   weary                             pained                        rejected

Angry                         peeved                           angry                          fuming
                                   bugged                           mad                            fed-up
                                   annoyed                         smoldering                 furious
                                   ruffled                            riled                            incensed
                                   nettled                            peeved                        infuriated
                                   harrassed                        resentful                     enraged
                                   irritated                          spiteful                        hatred
                                   put-on                            abused                         explosive
                                   mean                              contemptuous              destructive
                                   irked                               enmity                         outraged
                                   offended                         bitter                           appalled
                                   upset                               hostile                         vicious

Afraid                        shy                                  alarmed                       intimidated
                                   startled                           afraid                           terrified
                                   uneasy                            scared                          horrified
                                   tense                               jittery                           petrified
                                   nervous                           frightened                    panicked
                                   anxious                           fearful                          terrorized
                                   worried                           threatened                    terror-striken
                                   concerned                       shaken                          cowed
                                   timid                               trembly                        dread
                                   apprehensive                  cornered                       overwhelmed
                                   up-tight                           shaken                         agitated
                                   wary                                spooked                       paranoid

Embarrassed              silly                                 conspicuous                humiliated
                                   awkward                         foolish                         disgraced
                                   uncomfortable                absurd                          mortified
                                   clumsy                            embarrassed                 ashamed
                                   mediocre                         incompetent                 unworthy
                                   inept                                useless                         inferior

Hurt                            ignored                           insulted                        abused
                                   slighted                           diminished                   crippled
                                   snubbed                          deserted                        betrayed
                                   deflated                           damaged                       defeated
                                   put-down                         deprived                       persecuted
                                   jilted                                neglected                      oppressed