Learning idioms that describe feelings and emotions can help you express yourself more naturally in English. Instead of simply saying that you feel happy, sad, angry, nervous or embarrassed, you can use colourful expressions such as over the moon, down in the dumps, see red, on edge and have butterflies in your stomach.
These idioms that describe feelings and emotions are common in everyday conversation, films, books and informal writing. They can make your English more expressive, although their meanings are not always obvious from the individual words.
For example, when someone says:
I’m over the moon.
They do not mean that they are literally above the moon. They mean that they are extremely happy.
In this guide to idioms that describe feelings and emotions, you will learn 40 useful expressions for talking about anger, sadness, happiness, nervousness, fear, confusion, jealousy, embarrassment, boredom and relief. Each idiom comes with a clear meaning, natural examples and helpful usage notes.
Idioms That Describe Anger and Frustration
1. Blow your top
Meaning: to become extremely angry and lose your temper
- My dad will blow his top when he sees the broken window.
- She blew her top when she discovered that someone had deleted her work.
Usage note: This expression is informal and is mainly used in conversation.
2. Go off the deep end
Meaning: to suddenly become very angry, upset or emotional
- Jason went off the deep end when his website was hacked.
- Don’t go off the deep end before you have heard the full story.
This idiom suggests that someone’s reaction is stronger than the situation requires.
3. See red
Meaning: to become extremely angry
- Cruelty to animals always makes me see red.
- He saw red when he realised that someone had scratched his car.
A useful structure is:
Something makes me see red.
- Dishonesty makes me see red.
4. Fly off the handle
Meaning: to suddenly become very angry, often over something small
- He flew off the handle when I asked him to lower his voice.
- There is no need to fly off the handle—it was an honest mistake.
This expression usually suggests a sudden and uncontrolled reaction.
5. Get hot under the collar
Meaning: to become angry, embarrassed or agitated
- He got hot under the collar when they criticised his proposal.
- There is no need to get hot under the collar about a minor delay.
The expression can describe both anger and uncomfortable embarrassment.
6. Drive someone up the wall
Meaning: to make someone extremely annoyed or frustrated
- That constant tapping is driving me up the wall.
- My computer keeps freezing, and it is driving me up the wall.
Common structure:
Something drives someone up the wall.
- His untidiness drives me up the wall.
Idioms That Describe Sadness and Disappointment
7. Down in the dumps
Meaning: unhappy, sad or discouraged
- Celia has been down in the dumps since she lost her job.
- You look a little down in the dumps. Is everything all right?
This expression is informal and usually describes temporary sadness.
8. Feel blue
Meaning: to feel sad or unhappy
- Brian has been feeling blue since he broke up with his girlfriend.
- Sara felt blue after moving away from her family.
This expression often sounds softer than saying that someone is deeply depressed.
9. With a heavy heart
Meaning: feeling very sad when making a difficult decision or doing something unpleasant
- With a heavy heart, she decided to sell her childhood home.
- He left the team with a heavy heart after twenty years.
We commonly use this expression at the beginning of a sentence.
10. Have a lump in your throat
Meaning: to feel close to crying because of sadness, pride or another strong emotion
- I had a lump in my throat during her farewell speech.
- He had a lump in his throat as he watched his daughter graduate.
This idiom can describe happy as well as sad emotions.
11. Your heart sinks
Meaning: you suddenly feel disappointed, worried or unhappy
- My heart sank when I saw the amount of work waiting for me.
- Her heart sank when she realised that she had missed the final train.
We often use this expression with when:
My heart sank when I read the message.
12. Down in the mouth
Meaning: looking or feeling unhappy and discouraged
- Why are you looking so down in the mouth?
- He has been rather down in the mouth since the interview.
This expression is informal and slightly old-fashioned, but it is still widely understood.
Idioms That Describe Happiness and Excitement
13. On cloud nine
Meaning: extremely happy
- Rob has been on cloud nine since he became a grandfather.
- She was on cloud nine after passing her exam.
14. Over the moon
Meaning: extremely happy and delighted
- Fiona was over the moon when she graduated.
- I was over the moon when I got the job.
Usage note: This is particularly common in British English.
15. On top of the world
Meaning: extremely happy, confident or successful
- Bob felt on top of the world after completing the marathon.
- She was on top of the world when her first novel was published.
16. Walk on air
Meaning: to feel extremely happy and excited
- She was walking on air for days after her engagement.
- He walked on air after hearing that he had won the competition.
We normally use this expression in a continuous form:
She is walking on air.
17. Tickled pink
Meaning: extremely pleased, amused or delighted
- My grandmother was tickled pink when we surprised her with a visit.
- He was tickled pink by all the kind messages he received.
This cheerful expression can sound slightly old-fashioned, but it is still useful and charming.
18. A happy camper
Meaning: someone who is happy and satisfied with a situation
- The hotel guest had no complaints and seemed to be a happy camper.
- Give him a comfortable chair and a cup of coffee, and he will be a happy camper.
We often use this expression in the negative:
She was not a happy camper when she saw the bill.
This means that she was annoyed, disappointed or dissatisfied.
19. In seventh heaven
Meaning: extremely happy
- She was in seventh heaven when she met her favourite author.
- They have been in seventh heaven since the baby was born.
This expression is similar to on cloud nine and over the moon.
Idioms That Describe Nervousness, Anxiety and Fear
20. Have butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: to feel nervous, often before something important or exciting
- He had butterflies in his stomach before giving the speech.
- I always get butterflies in my stomach before an exam.
This idiom often describes a mixture of nervousness and excitement.
21. On edge
Meaning: nervous, tense or unable to relax
- I have been on edge all day because I am waiting for important news.
- Everyone in the office was on edge before the inspection.
22. On pins and needles
Meaning: extremely anxious while waiting for something to happen
- We were on pins and needles waiting for the doctor’s call.
- He was on pins and needles until the results were announced.
23. At your wits’ end
Meaning: so worried, confused or frustrated that you do not know what to do
- Sandra was at her wits’ end trying to persuade her little boy to eat.
- I am at my wits’ end with this computer. Nothing works!
This expression suggests that someone has tried everything but still cannot find a solution.
24. Pull your hair out
Meaning: to feel extremely worried, stressed or frustrated
- Paul was pulling his hair out while watching the final minutes of the match.
- I have been pulling my hair out trying to finish this report.
The expression is figurative. The person is not normally pulling out their hair literally.
25. Have your heart in your mouth
Meaning: to feel extremely nervous or frightened
- I had my heart in my mouth as the child ran towards the busy road.
- She had her heart in her mouth while waiting for the final score.
This expression often describes fear caused by something happening at that moment.
26. Shake like a leaf
Meaning: to shake because you are extremely frightened or nervous
- I was shaking like a leaf before my first driving test.
- He came out of the haunted house shaking like a leaf.
27. Be beside yourself
Meaning: to be unable to think clearly because of extreme worry, grief, anger or excitement
- She was beside herself with worry when her son did not come home.
- He was beside himself with grief after losing his closest friend.
Common structure:
beside yourself with + emotion
- beside yourself with worry
- beside yourself with anger
- beside yourself with excitement
Idioms That Describe Confusion and Indecision
28. Be in two minds
Meaning: to be unable to decide between two possibilities
- She is in two minds about accepting the job offer.
- We are in two minds about moving to a larger flat.
Useful structure:
be in two minds about + noun or -ing
- I am in two minds about buying it.
- He is in two minds about the trip.
29. Be at a loss
Meaning: to be confused and uncertain about what to do or say
- I was at a loss for words when I heard the news.
- The doctors were at a loss to explain her sudden recovery.
Common expressions:
- at a loss for words
- at a loss to explain something
- at a loss to know what to do
30. Not be able to make head nor tail of something
Meaning: to be completely unable to understand something
- I could not make head nor tail of the instructions.
- She looked at the financial report but could not make head nor tail of it.
This expression is informal and particularly common in British English.
31. Be torn between two things
Meaning: to find it difficult to choose because both options are attractive or important
- I am torn between staying in my current job and accepting the new offer.
- She was torn between loyalty to her friend and the need to tell the truth.
32. Not know whether you are coming or going
Meaning: to feel extremely confused, busy or overwhelmed
- I have had so many meetings today that I do not know whether I am coming or going.
- With three children asking questions at once, he did not know whether he was coming or going.
Idioms That Describe Jealousy, Embarrassment and Discomfort
33. Green with envy
Meaning: extremely jealous because someone has something you would like to have
- Simon was green with envy when he saw his colleague’s new car.
- I was green with envy when I saw their holiday photographs.
This expression is stronger than simply saying that someone feels slightly jealous.
34. Lose face
Meaning: to lose other people’s respect or feel publicly humiliated
- He apologised quickly because he did not want to lose face.
- She felt that she had lost face after making a serious mistake in the meeting.
This idiom often relates to reputation, dignity and public embarrassment.
35. Want the ground to swallow you up
Meaning: to feel so embarrassed that you wish you could disappear
- When I called the teacher “Mum”, I wanted the ground to swallow me up.
- He wanted the ground to swallow him up when his phone rang during the ceremony.
You can also say:
I wished the ground would swallow me up.
36. Have egg on your face
Meaning: to look foolish because something you said or predicted proved wrong
- The commentator had egg on his face after predicting an easy victory.
- She was left with egg on her face when the rumour turned out to be false.
37. Feel like a fish out of water
Meaning: to feel uncomfortable because you are in an unfamiliar situation
- I felt like a fish out of water at the formal reception.
- As the only beginner in the class, he initially felt like a fish out of water.
Idioms That Describe Boredom, Relief and Surprise
38. Bored to death / bored to tears
Meaning: extremely bored
- I was bored to death during the three-hour meeting.
- The lecture was so repetitive that we were bored to tears.
Both expressions are informal exaggerations. They do not mean that someone is literally dying or crying.
39. Breathe a sigh of relief
Meaning: to feel relieved because a difficult or worrying situation has ended
- We breathed a sigh of relief when the missing dog returned home.
- She breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that she had passed the exam.
40. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: to be suddenly and extremely frightened or surprised
- I nearly jumped out of my skin when the alarm went off.
- She jumped out of her skin when someone knocked on the window.
Quick Comparison: Similar Feeling Idioms
Some idioms that describe feelings and emotions have very similar meanings, but they may differ in strength, tone or level of formality.
| Extremely happy | over the moon, on cloud nine, in seventh heaven |
| Sad | down in the dumps, feel blue, down in the mouth |
| Very angry | see red, blow your top, fly off the handle |
| Nervous | have butterflies in your stomach, on edge, on pins and needles |
| Confused | be at a loss, be in two minds, not know whether you are coming or going |
| Embarrassed | lose face, have egg on your face, want the ground to swallow you up |
| Relieved | breathe a sigh of relief |
| Frightened | have your heart in your mouth, shake like a leaf, jump out of your skin |
Common Mistakes with Feeling Idioms
Use the correct preposition
❌ She is in cloud nine.
✅ She is on cloud nine.
❌ I am two minds about it.
✅ I am in two minds about it.
Remember the possessive form
❌ I am at my wit’s end.
✅ I am at my wits’ end.
Use the correct verb
❌ I made red when I heard the news.
✅ I saw red when I heard the news.
Do not interpret idioms literally
If someone has butterflies in their stomach, there are no actual butterflies involved. The person simply feels nervous or excited.
Exam Tip for B2 First and C1 Advanced
Idioms that describe feelings and emotions can be useful in:
- speaking tasks
- articles
- reviews
- informal emails
- stories and narratives
For example:
- I had butterflies in my stomach before the performance, but once I stepped onto the stage, I felt completely at ease.
Or:
- I was over the moon when I discovered that I had won the competition.
Idioms can make your English sound natural and expressive, but avoid putting too many into a single paragraph. One carefully chosen idiom is more effective than a whole parade of them marching through every sentence.
In formal essays, reports and proposals, it is usually better to use neutral vocabulary rather than highly informal idioms.
Use the following exercise to check how well you understand the idioms that describe feelings and emotions from this lesson.
Final Thoughts
These 40 idioms that describe feelings and emotions will help you express yourself in a more colourful, precise and natural way.
Instead of repeatedly saying:
- happy
- sad
- angry
- nervous
- confused
- embarrassed
you can choose a more expressive phrase:
- over the moon when you are delighted
- down in the dumps when you feel unhappy
- see red when you become furious
- have butterflies in your stomach when you feel nervous
- be in two minds when you cannot decide
- want the ground to swallow you up when you feel deeply embarrassed
The best way to remember idioms that describe feelings and emotions is to learn them in small groups and use them in your own sentences. Try choosing one emotion at a time and writing a short situation in which you might use two or three related expressions.
Related posts:
- Idioms Related to Happiness
- Collocations for Feelings and Emotions
- Phrasal Verbs that Express Emotions
- How to Express Sympathy in English
- Adjectives that Describe Feelings
- 100 Everyday English Idioms + PDF
- 100 Business English Idioms + PDF
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Sleeping and Dreaming Expressions - My Lingua Academy · 25 Mar 2026 at 1:27 am
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