List of Emotions and Feelings
This list of emotions and feelings has all 52 words from Brimmy in 8 families, each with a short explanation. An exact word helps you notice a feeling and talk about it — to yourself or to your therapist.
List of feelings and emotions with definitions
It’s an emotion words list and a list of feelings at once: words by family, in the same order as in the app. The same families sit around the feelings wheel.
Anxiety
When you expect the worst or don’t know what to do.
- anxious
- Uneasy, as if something might happen
- scared
- Something feels dangerous, I want to protect myself or get away
- nervous
- Jittery before something important
- insecure
- I doubt it will work out
- lost
- I don’t know what to do next
Joy
When things feel good or something good is coming.
- joyful
- Things feel good, I want to smile
- curious
- I want to learn, figure it out, try
- excited
- Looking forward to something good
- hopeful
- I believe it might turn out well
- proud
- I value what I or people close to me achieved
- admiring
- Someone or something really impresses me
Sadness
When something is missing, didn’t work out or is gone.
- sad
- Feeling down, I want some quiet
- longing
- I miss someone or something and feel drawn to it
- lonely
- I’m missing connection with people
- disappointed
- I expected one thing and got another
- empty
- Empty inside, as if everything is used up
- powerless
- I want to change it but can’t
- regretful
- I’m sorry it turned out this way
- grieving
- It hurts because of a loss
- hopeless
- It feels like nothing will change
- indifferent
- Nothing really moves me
- bored
- Nothing interests me, time drags
Calm
When something lets go and you have solid ground.
- calm
- Steady, nothing is rushing or bothering me
- relieved
- Something let go, it feels easier
- content
- I’ve done enough, everything is in its place
- confident
- I have solid ground: I can handle this
- safe
- It’s safe here, I don’t have to be on guard
Anger
When someone crosses you or your boundaries.
- angry
- Something hit a nerve, I want to push back
- irritated
- Little things get to me and get in the way
- hurt
- It hurts how I was treated
- indignant
- It feels unfair, I want to say so
- disgusted
- I want to pull away: “ew”
- envious
- I want what someone else has
- jealous
- I’m afraid of losing someone’s attention or closeness
Warmth
When someone is dear to you and you want to be close.
- warm
- A soft, kind feeling inside
- loving
- A strong bond, someone is very dear to me
- tender
- I want to take gentle care of someone
- connected
- I feel a connection, I’m being heard
- grateful
- I appreciate what I was given or what I have
- compassionate
- I feel someone else’s pain and want to support them
- charmed
- So sweet it makes me smile
Shame & Guilt
When you feel bad about yourself or sorry you hurt someone.
- ashamed
- I want to hide, as if something is wrong with me
- guilty
- I feel that something I did hurt someone
- awkward
- Uncomfortable, not sure how to act
- vulnerable
- Open and unprotected in front of others
- remorseful
- I want to make right what I did
- humiliated
- My dignity was hurt
Mixed
When one feeling is pleasant and hard at the same time.
- surprised
- Unexpected — could be pleasant or not
- bittersweet
- Sad and warm at the same time
- nostalgic
- Nice to remember, and a little sad it’s over
- torn
- I want to and I’m scared to at the same time
- moved
- Touched to the point of tears
Emotions in alphabetical order
Positive emotions
The positive emotions list spans three families:
Worth writing down too: they show what gives you strength.
Negative emotions
Negative means unpleasant, not bad: there are no wrong feelings. The negative emotions list covers four families:
No need to push them away: they often point to what matters to you.
List of emotions and feelings PDF
Printable list of emotions and feelings
Every word with its explanation, by family and in color.
Note your feelings every day
In the Brimmy feelings journal you pick these words in a few taps. After a week, you see which feelings keep coming back.