Describing Negative Emotional States: English Vocabulary List

having no energy or interest in doing anything

"I feel lethargic."

"After eating a huge Thanksgiving dinner the entire family felt lethargic and they all fell asleep on the couch while watching football on television."

not being actively involved or showing interest in a particular situation or activity

"The student is disengaged."

"The disengaged student sat in the back of the classroom and did not participate in any discussions because he was bored and did not care about the subject."

showing little enthusiasm, interest, or drive

"I feel uninspired."

"The artist felt uninspired and stared at the blank canvas for hours because she could not think of anything interesting or beautiful to paint."

lacking a sense of drive or inspiration

"He is unmotivated."

"The unmotivated employee did the bare minimum to keep his job and he never volunteered for extra tasks or showed any interest in advancing his career."

not paying close attention or showing a lack of focus

"The driver was inattentive."

"The inattentive driver did not see the stop sign and he drove straight through the intersection narrowly missing another car that had the right of way."

feeling uneasy or nervous

"The children are restless."

"The children became restless after sitting in the car for five hours and they started kicking the seats and asking Are we there yet every few minutes."

very nervous in a way that makes one unable to think clearly

"She looks agitated."

"The passengers grew agitated when the flight was delayed for three hours without any explanation from the airline staff at the crowded gate."

(of a person) feeling worried because of thinking something unpleasant might happen

"I feel anxious."

"She felt anxious about the upcoming exam, worrying she might not perform well."

worried and anxious about something or slightly afraid of it

"She is nervous."

"The nervous speaker forgot his lines in the middle of the presentation and he stood silently on the stage for what felt like an eternity."

having been beaten in a competition, battle, or struggle

"The army was defeated."

"The defeated army surrendered and the general signed a peace treaty to end the long and bloody war between the two nations."

(of a person) not confident about oneself or one's skills and abilities

"He feels insecure."

"The insecure teenager constantly compared herself to the popular girls at school and she felt that she was not pretty or smart enough to fit in."

feeling angry or annoyed, often due to something unpleasant

"I am irritated."

"The constant buzzing of the fly irritated the man who was trying to read his book and he waved his hands wildly trying to shoo it away."

experiencing intense sadness or disappointment due to a broken romantic relationship or other loss

"She is heartbroken."

"She was heartbroken when her boyfriend of three years ended their relationship and she cried for days because she had truly believed that he was the one."

feeling very unhappy or uncomfortable

"I feel miserable."

"The weather was miserable with cold rain and strong winds so we decided to stay inside and watch movies instead of going to the beach as planned."

affected by deep sorrow or misery

"Her expression is woeful."

"The woeful expression on the puppy's face made everyone in the pet store want to take him home and give him a warm bath and some food."

feeling sad, discouraged, or low in spirits

"He is downhearted."

"The team was downhearted after losing the championship game by one point in the final seconds and they sat silently in the locker room for a long time."

filled with intense anger

"The crowd was enraged."

"The customer became enraged when the store refused to refund his money for the defective product and he demanded to speak to the manager immediately."

feeling stressed or burdened by a lot of tasks or emotions at once

"She is overwhelmed."

"The new mother felt overwhelmed by the demands of caring for her newborn twins and she often cried from exhaustion and lack of sleep during the first few months."

experiencing sudden and overwhelming fear or anxiety

"He panicked."

"The driver panicked when his brakes failed on the steep hill and he steered the car into a snowbank to avoid crashing into the cars ahead."

unable to concentrate or focus due to having one's attention drawn away by various thoughts or external interruptions

"She is distracted."

"The distracted driver was looking at his phone when the light turned green and the cars behind him honked impatiently for him to start moving forward."

having or displaying great dislike for something

"I am disgusted."

"The health inspector was disgusted by the dirty conditions in the restaurant kitchen and he immediately shut down the establishment for violating multiple safety codes."

doubtful about the honesty of what someone has done and having no trust in them

"He looks suspicious."

"The police officer found a suspicious package near the train station and he immediately evacuated the area and called the bomb squad to investigate the situation."

having a strong taste that is unpleasant and not sweet

"The coffee is bitter."

"The bitter coffee needed more sugar but she had run out so she drank it black."

feeling embarrassed or distressed due to failure or disappointment

"He felt chagrined."

"The politician was chagrined when the video of his offensive comments went viral and he issued a public apology hoping to save his career."