Feelings and reactions – C1 English Vocabulary

Feelings and reactions

In this Advanced vocabulary lesson about Feelings and Reactions, you will learn advanced expressions to describe emotions, emotional responses, and how people react in different situations. Check the chart below and read the definitions and sentence examples to understand their meanings and learn how to use them naturally in context.

Happiness and amusement

1 If you burst out laughing, you suddenly start laughing very loudly and uncontrollably.

• Everyone burst out laughing when he slipped on the banana peel.

2 If you crack up or if someone or something cracks you up, they or it makes you laugh a lot.

• Her silly dance always cracks me up.

3 If you laugh your head off, you laugh very hard for a long time.

• We laughed our heads off at that comedy show.

4 If you are over the moon, you are extremely happy about something.

• She was over the moon when she got the job offer.

5 If you are thrilled to bits, you feel very pleased and excited.

• He was thrilled to bits with his birthday present.

6 If you are chuffed (UK), you feel proud or happy about something.

• She was really chuffed to win the competition.

Embarrassment and awkwardness

7 If you cringe at something, it makes you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.

• I cringed at my old photos from high school.

8 If you make a fool of yourself, you do something silly or embarrassing in front of others.

• He made a fool of himself by forgetting his own speech.

9 If you are mortified, you feel extremely embarrassed or ashamed.

• She was mortified when her phone rang during the concert.

10 If you go red (with embarrassment), your face turns red because you feel embarrassed.

• He went red when everyone laughed at his mistake.

11 If you clam up, you suddenly stop talking because you are nervous or shy.

• She clammed up when the teacher asked her a question.

Anger and frustration

12 If you lose your temper, you suddenly get very angry.

• He lost his temper after waiting for an hour in traffic.

13 If you freak out, you react with extreme anger, fear, or surprise.

• She freaked out when she saw a spider on her bed.

Sadness and disappointment

14 If you are gutted (UK, informal), you feel extremely disappointed or upset.

• I was gutted when our team lost in the final minute.

15 If you burst into tears, you suddenly start crying.

• She burst into tears after hearing the bad news.

16 If you are moved by something, it touches your emotions deeply.

• He was deeply moved by the kindness of strangers.

Nervousness and stress

17 If you are flustered, you feel nervous and confused, especially when under pressure.

• She got flustered when she couldn’t find her notes before the meeting.

18 If you are on edge, you feel tense, anxious, or easily upset.

• Everyone’s been on edge since the announcement of layoffs.

Surprise and shock

19 If you are taken aback, something surprises or shocks you unexpectedly.

• I was taken aback by how honest he was with me.

20 If you feel overwhelmed, your emotions or situations are too strong to handle easily.

• She felt overwhelmed by all the support she received.

After completing the exercises in this lesson on Feelings and Reactions, you can use the unit’s Vocabulary Flashcards to revise and help you memorize the terms.