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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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."