Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

abandon
a feeling of extreme emotional intensity
 
abashment
feeling embarrassed due to modesty
 
abhorrence
hate coupled with disgust
 
acquired taste
a preference that is only acquired after considerable experience
 
addiction
an abnormally strong craving
 
admiration
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
 
admiration
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
 
adoration
a feeling of profound love and admiration
 
affect
the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion
 
affection
a positive feeling of liking
 
affright
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
 
afterglow
the pleasure of remembering some pleasant event
 
agape
(Christian theology) the love of God or Christ for mankind
 
agape
selfless love of one person for another without sexual implications (especially love that is spiritual in nature)
 
aggravation
an exasperated feeling of annoyance
 
aggression
a feeling of hostility that arouses thoughts of attack
 
agitation
the feeling of being agitated; not calm
 
agony
intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain
 
alarm
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
 
algolagnia
sexual pleasure derived from inflicting or experiencing pain
 
alienation
the feeling of being alienated from other people
 
alleviation
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
 
aloofness
indifference by personal withdrawal
 
amativeness
the arousal of feelings of sexual desire
 
amazement
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
 
ambition
a cherished desire
 
ambivalence
mixed feelings or emotions
 
American Dream
the widespread aspiration of Americans to live better than their parents did
 
amiability
a cheerful and agreeable mood
 
amicability
a disinclination to quarrel
 
amorousness
a feeling of love or fondness
 
amour propre
feelings of excessive pride
 
amusement
a feeling of delight at being entertained
 
anaphrodisia
decline or absence of sexual desire
 
anger
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
 
Anglophilia
admiration for Britain and British customs
 
Anglophobia
dislike (or fear) of Britain and British customs
 
angst
an acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety; usually reserved for philosophical anxiety about the world or about personal freedom
 
anguish
extreme mental distress
 
animosity
a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
 
annoyance
anger produced by some annoying irritation
 
antagonism
an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility
 
anticipation
an expectation
 
antipathy
a feeling of intense dislike
 
anxiety
a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune
 
anxiousness
a feeling of mild anxiety about possible developments
 
apathy
an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
 
aphrodisia
a desire for heterosexual intimacy
 
appetence
a feeling of craving something
 
appreciativeness
warm friendly feelings of gratitude
 
apprehension
fearful expectation or anticipation
 
approbation
official approval
 
approval
a feeling of liking something or someone good
 
ardor
intense feeling of love
 
ardor
a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
 
ardor
feelings of great warmth and intensity
 
ataraxis
the absence of mental stress or anxiety
 
attachment
a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
 
attrition
sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation
 
avidity
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
 
awe
an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
 
awe
a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
 
bad temper
a persisting angry mood
 
bang
the swift release of a store of affective force
 
bathos
insincere pathos
 
belligerence
hostile or warlike attitude or nature
 
belonging
happiness felt in a secure relationship
 
beneficence
doing good; feeling beneficent
 
benevolence
disposition to do good
 
bitterness
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
 
blahs
a general feeling of boredom and dissatisfaction
 
blitheness
a feeling of spontaneous good spirits
 
bloodlust
a desire for bloodshed
 
boding
a feeling of evil to come
 
bonheur
(French) happiness and good humor
 
boredom
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
 
bravery
feeling no fear
 
bright side
a consoling aspect of a difficult situation
 
broken heart
devastating sorrow and despair
 
brokenheartedness
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
 
brooding
persistent morbid meditation on a problem
 
brotherhood
the feeling that men should treat one another like brothers
 
buck fever
nervous excitement of an inexperienced hunter
 
buoyancy
cheerfulness that bubbles to the surface
 
calf love
temporary love of an adolescent
 
calmness
a feeling of calm; an absence of agitation or excitement
 
caprice
a sudden desire
 
captivation
a feeling of great liking for something wonderful and unusual
 
care
a cause for feeling concern
 
care
an anxious feeling
 
carefreeness
the cheerful feeling you have when nothing is troubling you
 
caring
a loving feeling
 
carnality
feeling morbid sexual desire or a propensity to lewdness
 
chafing
soreness or irritation of the skin caused by friction
 
chagrin
strong feelings of embarrassment
 
cheerlessness
a feeling of dreary or pessimistic sadness
 
chill
an almost pleasurable sensation of fright
 
chill
a sudden numbing dread
 
choler
an irritable petulant feeling
 
class feeling
feelings of envy and resentment of one social or economic class for toward another
 
closeness
a feeling of being intimate and belonging together
 
cold comfort
very limited consolation or empathy
 
cold feet
timidity that prevents the continuation of a course of action
 
coldheartedness
an absence of concern for the welfare of others
 
comfort
a feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment
 
comfortableness
a feeling of being at ease in a relationship
 
commiseration
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
 
compassion
a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
 
compatibility
a feeling of sympathetic understanding
 
complacence
the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself
 
complex
(psychoanalysis) a combination of emotions and impulses that have been rejected from awareness but still influence a person's behavior
 
compunction
a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
 
concern
a feeling of sympathy for someone or something
 
concupiscence
a desire for sexual intimacy
 
confidence
a feeling of trust (in someone or something)
 
conflict
opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings
 
confusion
a feeling of embarrassment that leaves you confused
 
conscience
a feeling of shame when you do something immoral
 
consolation
the comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment
 
contempt
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
 
contentment
happiness with one's situation in life
 
coolness
calm and unruffled self-assurance
 
covetousness
an envious eagerness to possess something
 
craving
an intense desire for some particular thing
 
creeps
a feeling of fear and revulsion
 
creepy-crawlies
feelings of dislike and anxiety
 
cruelty
feelings of extreme heartlessness
 
cynicism
a cynical feeling of distrust
 
dander
a feeling of anger and animosity
 
daze
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
 
defeat
the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals
 
defeatism
acceptance of the inevitability of defeat
 
dejectedness
a feeling of low spirits
 
delectation
a feeling of extreme pleasure or satisfaction
 
demoralisation
depression resulting from an undermining of your morale
 
depression
sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
 
desire
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
 
desolation
sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned
 
despair
the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well
 
despisal
a feeling of scornful hatred
 
despondence
feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless
 
detachment
avoiding emotional involvement
 
devastation
the feeling of being confounded or overwhelmed
 
devotedness
feelings of ardent love
 
diffidence
lack of self-confidence
 
disappointment
a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized
 
disapproval
a feeling of disliking something or what someone is doing
 
discomfiture
anxious embarrassment
 
discomfort
an uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or distress
 
discontent
a longing for something better than the present situation
 
discouragement
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
 
disgruntlement
a feeling of sulky discontent
 
disgust
strong feelings of dislike
 
disinclination
that toward which you are inclined to feel dislike
 
dislike
a feeling of aversion or antipathy
 
displeasure
the feeling of being displeased or annoyed or dissatisfied with someone or something
 
disquietude
feelings of anxiety that make you tense and irritable
 
dissatisfaction
the feeling of being displeased and discontent
 
distemper
an angry and disagreeable mood
 
distress
psychological suffering
 
dolefulness
sadness caused by grief or affliction
 
dolor
(poetry) painful grief
 
dreaminess
a relaxed comfortable feeling
 
dudgeon
a feeling of intense indignation (now used only in the phrase `in high dudgeon')
 
dysphoria
abnormal depression and discontent
 
earnestness
an earnest and sincere feeling
 
easiness
a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry
 
ego
an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others
 
elation
a feeling of joy and pride
 
Electra complex
a complex of females; sexual attraction to the father
 
electricity
keen and shared excitement
 
embarrassment
the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public
 
emotion
any strong feeling
 
emotionlessness
apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions
 
empathy
understanding and entering into another's feelings
 
emulation
ambition to equal or excel
 
encouragement
the feeling of being encouraged
 
enjoyment
the pleasure felt when having a good time
 
enmity
the feeling of a hostile person
 
enragement
a feeling of intense anger
 
enthusiasm
a feeling of excitement
 
entrancement
a feeling of delight at being filled with wonder and enchantment
 
enviousness
a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something that is possessed by another
 
erotic love
a deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction
 
euphoria
a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation
 
excitement
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
 
expectation
the feeling that something is about to happen
 
exuberance
joyful enthusiasm
 
exultation
a feeling of extreme joy
 
faintness
a feeling of faintness and of being ready to swoon
 
fancy
a predisposition to like something
 
fatigue
(always used with a modifier) boredom resulting from overexposure to something
 
favor
a feeling of favorable regard
 
fear
an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
 
feelings
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
 
fellow feeling
sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow or anguish)
 
fetish
a form of sexual desire in which gratification depends to an abnormal degree on some object or item of clothing or part of the body
 
fever
intense nervous anticipation
 
fidget
a feeling of agitation expressed in continual motion
 
filial love
the love of a child for a parent
 
forgiveness
compassionate feelings that support a willingness to forgive
 
friendliness
a feeling of liking for another person; enjoyment in their company
 
frustration
a feeling of annoyance at being hindered or criticized
 
fulfillment
a feeling of satisfaction at having achieved your desires
 
fury
a feeling of intense anger
 
gaiety
a gay feeling
 
gaiety
a festive merry feeling
 
gladfulness
experiencing joy and pleasure
 
glee
great merriment
 
glee
malicious satisfaction
 
gloom
a feeling of melancholy apprehension
 
glow
a feeling of considerable warmth
 
glumness
a gloomy ill-tempered feeling
 
gold fever
greed and the contagious excitement of a gold rush
 
good will
the friendly hope that something will succeed
 
gratitude
a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
 
gravity
a solemn and dignified feeling
 
green-eyed monster
a feeling of jealous envy (especially of a rival)
 
grievance
a resentment strong enough to justify retaliation
 
growing pains
emotional distress arising during adolescence
 
guilt pang
pangs of feeling guilty
 
guilt
remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense
 
gusto
vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
 
hankering
a yearning for something or to do something
 
happiness
emotions experienced when in a state of well-being
 
harassment
a feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented
 
hate
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
 
heartburning
intense resentment
 
heartstrings
your deepest feelings of love and compassion
 
heaviness
persisting sadness
 
heavyheartedness
a feeling of dispirited melancholy
 
helplessness
a feeling of being unable to manage
 
hero worship
admiration for great men (or their memory)
 
hesitance
a feeling of diffidence and indecision about doing something
 
homesickness
a longing to return home
 
hope
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
 
hope
the general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled
 
hopefulness
the feeling you have when you have hope
 
hopelessness
the despair you feel when you have abandoned hope of comfort or success
 
horror
intense and profound fear
 
horror
intense aversion
 
huffiness
a passing state of anger and resentment
 
huffishness
a feeling of sulky resentment
 
humbleness
a humble feeling
 
humor
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
 
hungriness
prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
 
hurt
feelings of mental or physical pain
 
hysteria
excessive or uncontrollable fear
 
impatience
a restless desire for change and excitement
 
inclination
that toward which you are inclined to feel a liking
 
indifference
unbiased impartial unconcern
 
indignation
a feeling of righteous anger
 
infatuation
a foolish and usually extravagant passion or love or admiration
 
inferiority complex
a sense of personal inferiority arising from conflict between the desire to be noticed and the fear of being humiliated
 
ingratitude
a lack of gratitude
 
insecurity
the anxiety you experience when you feel vulnerable and insecure
 
insight
a feeling of understanding
 
intertrigo
chafing between two skin surfaces that are in contact (as in the armpit or under the breasts or between the thighs)
 
intimidation
the feeling of being intimidated; being made to feel afraid or timid
 
intimidation
the feeling of discouragement in the face of someone's superior fame or wealth or status etc.
 
intoxication
excitement and elation beyond the bounds of sobriety
 
irascibility
a feeling of resentful anger
 
irritation
a sudden outburst of anger
 
isolation
a feeling of being disliked and alone
 
itch
a strong restless desire
 
jitteriness
the anxious feeling you have when you have the jitters
 
jocularity
a feeling facetious merriment
 
joie de vivre
a keen enjoyment of living
 
jolliness
feeling jolly and jovial and full of good humor
 
joy
the emotion of great happiness
 
joylessness
a feeling of dismal cheerlessness
 
kindheartedness
sympathy arising from a kind heart
 
languor
a feeling of lack of interest or energy
 
leaning
an inclination to do something
 
lecherousness
a strong sexual desire
 
levity
feeling an inappropriate lack of seriousness
 
libido
(psychoanalysis) a Freudian term for sexual urge or desire
 
liking
a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment
 
lividity
a state of fury so great the face becomes discolored
 
love
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
 
lovesickness
a pining for a loved one
 
loyalty
feelings of allegiance
 
maleficence
doing or causing evil
 
malevolence
wishing evil to others
 
malice
feeling a need to see others suffer
 
masochism
sexual pleasure obtained from receiving punishment (physical or psychological)
 
meekness
the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness
 
melancholy
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
 
mellowness
a feeling of good humor and sympathy through maturity or intoxication or a relaxed state
 
mental anguish
sustained dull painful emotion
 
mercifulness
the feeling that motivates compassion
 
misanthropy
hatred of mankind
 
misery
a feeling of intense unhappiness
 
misgiving
uneasiness about the fitness of an action
 
misocainea
hatred of new ideas
 
misogamy
hatred of marriage
 
misogynism
hatred of women
 
misology
hatred of reasoning
 
misoneism
hatred of change or innovation
 
misopedia
hatred of children
 
moodiness
a sullen gloomy feeling
 
mournfulness
a state of gloomy sorrow
 
murderousness
a bloodthirsty hatred arousing murderous impulses
 
mysoandry
hatred for men or boys
 
mysophilia
abnormal attraction to filth
 
nationalism
the aspiration for national independence felt by people under foreign domination
 
nausea
disgust so strong it makes you feel sick
 
nostalgia
longing for something past
 
nymphomania
abnormally intense sexual desire in women
 
Oedipus complex
a complex of males; desire to possess the mother sexually and to exclude the father; said to be a source of personality disorders if unresolved
 
offence
a feeling of anger caused by being offended
 
oppression
a feeling of being oppressed
 
optimism
the optimistic feeling that all is going to turn out well
 
oversensitiveness
sensitivity leading to easy irritation or upset
 
pain
emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid
 
pang
a sudden sharp feeling
 
panic attack
a sudden attack of fear
 
passion
a feeling of strong sexual desire
 
passion
a strong feeling or emotion
 
peeve
an annoyed or irritated mood
 
penance
remorse for your past conduct
 
penchant
a strong liking
 
penis envy
(psychoanalysis) a female's presumed envy of the male's penis; said to explain femininity
 
pessimism
the feeling that things will turn out badly
 
pet
a fit of petulance or sulkiness (especially at what is felt to be a slight)
 
philhellenism
admiration for Greece and the Greeks and Greek customs
 
philogyny
admiration for women
 
pining
a feeling of deep longing
 
placidity
a feeling of calmness; a quiet and undisturbed feeling
 
plaintiveness
expressing sorrowfulness
 
pleasance
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
 
pleasantness
the feeling caused by agreeable stimuli; one pole of a continuum of states of feeling
 
presage
a foreboding about what is about to happen
 
pride
satisfaction with your (or another's) achievements
 
pride
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
 
protectiveness
a feeling of protective affection
 
quietness
a state of peace and quiet
 
razbliuto
the sentimental feeling you have about someone you once loved but no longer do
 
regard
a feeling of friendship and esteem
 
regret
sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment
 
rejoicing
a feeling of great happiness
 
resignation
acceptance of despair
 
rhapsody
an enthusiastic expression of emotion
 
sadism
sexual pleasure obtained by inflicting harm (physical or psychological) on others
 
sadness
emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being
 
sadomasochism
sadism and masochism combined in one person
 
sanguineness
feeling sanguine; optimistically cheerful and confident
 
satisfaction
the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
 
satyriasis
abnormally intense sexual desire in men
 
Schadenfreude
delight in another person's misfortune
 
scunner
a strong dislike
 
security
freedom from anxiety or fear
 
self-consciousness
embarrassment deriving from the feeling that others are critically aware of you
 
self-depreciation
a feeling of being of little worth
 
self-disgust
shame resulting from strong dislike of yourself or your actions
 
self-esteem
a feeling of pride in yourself
 
self-pity
a feeling of sorrow (often self-indulgent) over your own sufferings
 
self-torment
self-imposed distress
 
sensation
a general feeling of excitement and heightened interest
 
sensibility
refined sensitivity to pleasurable or painful impressions
 
sensitiveness
sensitivity to emotional feelings (of self and others)
 
sensualism
desire for sensual pleasures
 
sensuousness
a sensuous feeling
 
sentiment
tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
 
sentimentality
extravagant or affected feeling or emotion
 
sex
all of the feelings resulting from the urge to gratify sexual impulses
 
sexual pleasure
pleasure derived from sexual activities
 
shadow
a premonition of something adverse
 
shame
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
 
shamefacedness
feeling embarrassed about yourself
 
shyness
a feeling of fear of embarrassment
 
sinking
a feeling caused by uneasiness or apprehension
 
smugness
an excessive feeling of self-satisfaction
 
soft spot
a sentimental affection
 
softheartedness
a feeling of concern for the welfare of someone (especially someone defenseless)
 
solicitousness
a feeling of excessive concern
 
sorrow
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
 
soul
deep feeling or emotion
 
stage fright
fear that affects a person about to face an audience
 
stewing
an extreme state of worry and agitation
 
stir
emotional agitation and excitement
 
stomach
an appetite for food
 
stomach
an inclination or liking for things involving conflict or difficulty or unpleasantness
 
storminess
violent passion in speech or action
 
stupefaction
a feeling of stupefied astonishment
 
sulk
a mood or display of sullen aloofness or withdrawal
 
surprise
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
 
survivor guilt
a deep feeling of guilt often experienced by those who have survived some catastrophe that took the lives of many others; derives in part from a feeling that they did not do enough to save the others who perished and in part from feelings of being unworthy relative to those who died
 
suspense
excited anticipation of an approaching climax
 
suspense
apprehension about what is going to happen
 
sweet tooth
a strong appetite for sweet food
 
swivet
a panic or extreme discomposure
 
tearfulness
sadness expressed by weeping
 
technophilia
enthusiasm for new technology
 
technophobia
dislike for new technology
 
temptation
the desire to have or do something that you know you should avoid
 
tenderheartedness
warm compassionate feelings
 
testiness
feeling easily irritated
 
the hots
intense sexual desire
 
thing
a persistent illogical feeling of desire or aversion
 
throes
violent pangs of suffering
 
timidity
fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions
 
titillation
a tingling feeling of excitement (as from teasing or tickling)
 
togetherness
affectionate closeness
 
trepidation
a feeling of alarm or dread
 
triumph
the exultation of victory
 
trouble
a strong feeling of anxiety
 
tsoris
(Yiddish) trouble and suffering
 
tumult
violent agitation
 
unassertiveness
diffidence about self promotion
 
unconcern
a feeling of lack of concern
 
undertow
an inclination contrary to the strongest or prevailing feeling
 
unfriendliness
dislike experienced as an absence of friendliness
 
unpleasantness
the feeling caused by disagreeable stimuli; one pole of a continuum of states of feeling
 
unrest
a feeling of restless agitation
 
velleity
a mere wish, unaccompanied by effort to obtain
 
vengefulness
a malevolent desire for revenge
 
want
a specific feeling of desire
 
warmheartedness
a warmhearted feeling
 
warpath
hostile or belligerent mood
 
weakness
a penchant for something even though it might not be good for you
 
weight
an oppressive feeling of heavy force
 
Weltschmerz
sadness on thinking about the evils of the world
 
willies
feelings of uneasiness
 
wishfulness
an unrealistic yearning
 
wistfulness
a sadly pensive longing
 
woe
intense mournfulness
 
wound
a figurative injury (to your feelings or pride)
 
wrath
intense anger (usually on an epic scale)
 
zeal
excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end