Feelings are powerful. Whether it’s joy, anger, fear, or excitement, emotions shape how we experience the world around us.
But sometimes, words alone don’t feel like enough to describe what’s going on inside. That’s where idioms come in. Idioms are colorful expressions that use figurative language to describe real emotions in a creative way.
In this post, we’ll explore 49 idioms related to feelings. Each idiom includes a clear meaning and a sentence to help you see how it’s used. Let’s dive into the emotional world of idioms!
What is an Idiom for Feelings?
An idiom for feelings is a phrase or expression that conveys a specific emotion using figurative language.
Instead of saying “I’m nervous,” someone might say “I’ve got butterflies in my stomach.” These idioms make conversations more expressive and relatable.
Let’s take a closer look at how different idioms capture a wide range of feelings:
Idioms for Feelings
1. Walking on Air
Meaning: Feeling extremely happy or joyful.
In a Sentence: After hearing she got the job, she was walking on air all day long, barely able to hide her excitement.
2. Down in the Dumps
Meaning: Feeling very sad or depressed.
In a Sentence: He’s been down in the dumps ever since his best friend moved away, and nothing seems to cheer him up.
3. Butterflies in My Stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or anxious, especially before something important.
In a Sentence: I had butterflies in my stomach right before going on stage for the school play, even though I knew my lines perfectly.
4. On Cloud Nine
Meaning: Being in a state of blissful happiness.
In a Sentence: When she got the news about her scholarship, she was on cloud nine and couldn’t stop smiling for hours.
5. Blowing a Fuse
Meaning: Becoming very angry or losing temper quickly.
In a Sentence: When the computer crashed and deleted all his work, he blew a fuse and started yelling at the screen in frustration.
6. Cold Feet
Meaning: Feeling nervous or unsure, often before a big decision or event.
In a Sentence: She got cold feet the night before the wedding and started second-guessing everything about the ceremony.
7. Cry Over Spilled Milk
Meaning: Feeling regret or sadness about something that can’t be changed.
In a Sentence: There’s no point crying over spilled milk—we missed the train, so let’s just wait for the next one and stay calm.
8. Full of Beans
Meaning: Feeling energetic, lively, or excited.
In a Sentence: The kids were full of beans after their nap, running around and laughing like they had endless energy.
9. Bent Out of Shape
Meaning: Feeling upset or annoyed, often about something small.
In a Sentence: She got bent out of shape because no one noticed her new haircut, even though it looked great.
10. Green with Envy
Meaning: Feeling jealous or envious of someone else.
In a Sentence: He was green with envy when he saw his friend’s brand new car parked in the driveway.
11. Heart in My Mouth
Meaning: Feeling very nervous or scared.
In a Sentence: My heart was in my mouth when the teacher started calling out names for the oral exam.
12. A Heavy Heart
Meaning: Feeling deeply sad or sorrowful.
In a Sentence: She left the city with a heavy heart, knowing it would be a long time before she saw her friends again.
13. Like a Fish Out of Water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or out of place in a situation.
In a Sentence: At the fancy dinner party, I felt like a fish out of water and didn’t know which fork to use.
14. Jumping for Joy
Meaning: Feeling extremely happy or excited.
In a Sentence: The kids were jumping for joy when they heard school was canceled because of the snowstorm.
15. Put Someone in a Good Mood
Meaning: Make someone feel happy or cheerful.
In a Sentence: Her smile and kind words always put me in a good mood, even on the toughest days.
16. Have a Chip on Your Shoulder
Meaning: Feeling angry or easily offended, often because of past experiences.
In a Sentence: He always seems ready to argue, like he has a chip on his shoulder about everything.
17. Bored to Tears
Meaning: Feeling extremely bored or uninterested.
In a Sentence: I was bored to tears during that three-hour lecture on rock formations.
18. Losing Your Cool
Meaning: Failing to stay calm; becoming angry or upset.
In a Sentence: She lost her cool when the waiter spilled soup on her dress and didn’t even apologize.
19. In Seventh Heaven
Meaning: Feeling incredibly happy or delighted.
In a Sentence: He was in seventh heaven after getting front-row tickets to his favorite band’s concert.
20. Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Meaning: Openly showing your emotions.
In a Sentence: You could tell she was hurt; she wears her heart on her sleeve and never hides how she feels.
21. Hot Under the Collar
Meaning: Feeling angry, irritated, or annoyed.
In a Sentence: He got hot under the collar when the cashier accused him of cutting in line.
22. Grinning from Ear to Ear
Meaning: Smiling broadly because of happiness.
In a Sentence: When I told her she’d won the contest, she was grinning from ear to ear with pure joy.
23. Feel Like a Million Bucks
Meaning: Feeling great, happy, or confident.
In a Sentence: After the makeover, she felt like a million bucks walking down the street.
24. All Shook Up
Meaning: Feeling very emotional, shaken, or surprised.
In a Sentence: He was all shook up after hearing the sudden news of his promotion at work.
25. Take It to Heart
Meaning: Feeling deeply affected by something someone says or does.
In a Sentence: She really took it to heart when her friend criticized her painting, even though it wasn’t meant to be harsh.
26. Keep a Stiff Upper Lip
Meaning: Stay strong and not show emotion, especially during tough times.
In a Sentence: Even during the heartbreaking goodbye, she kept a stiff upper lip and didn’t shed a single tear.
27. Welling Up with Emotion
Meaning: Feeling like tears or strong emotions are about to overflow.
In a Sentence: As he watched the graduation speech, he found himself welling up with emotion unexpectedly.
28. On Pins and Needles
Meaning: Feeling very nervous or anxious while waiting for something.
In a Sentence: I was on pins and needles waiting for the email about the job interview.
29. All the Feels
Meaning: Experiencing a rush of mixed emotions, especially strong or sentimental ones.
In a Sentence: That movie gave me all the feels—I laughed, I cried, and I smiled.
30. Cry Me a River
Meaning: Used sarcastically to tell someone they are overreacting or being overly emotional.
In a Sentence: Oh, you forgot your charger again? Cry me a river.
31. Blown Away
Meaning: Feeling extremely impressed or emotionally overwhelmed.
In a Sentence: I was blown away by how beautiful the wedding ceremony turned out.
32. At the End of Your Rope
Meaning: Feeling emotionally or mentally exhausted and unable to continue.
In a Sentence: After days of no sleep and constant stress, she felt like she was at the end of her rope.
33. Heart Skipped a Beat
Meaning: Feeling a sudden shock, surprise, or excitement.
In a Sentence: My heart skipped a beat when I saw my name on the award list.
34. In High Spirits
Meaning: Feeling cheerful and full of positive energy.
In a Sentence: Everyone was in high spirits during the celebration, dancing and singing without a care.
35. Shake Like a Leaf
Meaning: Feeling very scared or nervous, physically trembling.
In a Sentence: He was shaking like a leaf during his first public speaking event.
36. Tearing Your Hair Out
Meaning: Feeling extremely frustrated or stressed.
In a Sentence: I was tearing my hair out trying to finish the project before the deadline.
37. Broken-Hearted
Meaning: Feeling deep sadness, usually because of love or loss.
In a Sentence: She was completely broken-hearted after her long-term relationship ended.
38. In a Funk
Meaning: Feeling low, moody, or emotionally stuck.
In a Sentence: He’s been in a funk ever since the vacation ended and work started up again.
39. Throw a Fit
Meaning: To express strong anger or frustration, often in an over-the-top way.
In a Sentence: When he didn’t get his way, he threw a fit in the middle of the store.
40. Over the Moon
Meaning: Feeling extremely happy or joyful.
In a Sentence: I was over the moon when my article was published in the magazine.
41. Choked Up
Meaning: Feeling so emotional it’s hard to speak.
In a Sentence: He got choked up giving his speech at the wedding and had to pause for a moment.
42. Blow Off Steam
Meaning: Releasing built-up emotions, usually anger or stress.
In a Sentence: After the stressful week, she went for a long run to blow off steam.
43. Freak Out
Meaning: To react emotionally, often with panic, fear, or excitement.
In a Sentence: I totally freaked out when I saw a spider crawl across my desk.
44. A Face Like Thunder
Meaning: Looking extremely angry or upset.
In a Sentence: When he entered the room with a face like thunder, everyone stopped talking.
45. Overcome with Emotion
Meaning: Feeling so much emotion that it’s hard to function.
In a Sentence: She was overcome with emotion when she saw her baby for the first time.
46. At Peace
Meaning: Feeling calm, content, and emotionally settled.
In a Sentence: After years of struggle, he finally felt at peace with his decisions.
47. Drowning in Emotion
Meaning: Feeling completely overwhelmed by feelings.
In a Sentence: She was drowning in emotion after the emotional goodbye at the airport.
48. See Red
Meaning: To become extremely angry or enraged.
In a Sentence: When he found out someone had scratched his car, he saw red immediately.
49. On Edge
Meaning: Feeling tense, nervous, or easily upset.
In a Sentence: He’s been on edge all day, waiting to hear back about the loan approval.
Quizzes About the Idioms in the ArticleQuiz 1: Walking on Air
What does “Walking on Air” mean?
a) Flying in an airplane
b) Walking happily
c) Feeling extremely joyful
d) Being sleepy
Quiz 2: Cold Feet
What does the idiom “Cold Feet” refer to?
a) Being physically cold
b) Changing your shoes
c) Feeling nervous before an event
d) Standing on ice
Quiz 3: Green with Envy
When someone is “green with envy,” what are they feeling?
a) Sick
b) Jealous
c) Lucky
d) Tired
Quiz 4: Tearing Your Hair Out
What does “Tearing your hair out” express?
a) Hair loss
b) Being confused
c) Being very frustrated
d) Combing your hair
Quiz 5: Grinning from Ear to Ear
If someone is “grinning from ear to ear,” how do they feel?
a) Sad
b) Nervous
c) Angry
d) Extremely happy
Quiz 6: Like a Fish Out of Water
What situation does this describe?
a) Being tired
b) Being out of place
c) Being in a pool
d) Being excited
Quiz 7: See Red
What does it mean to “See red”?
a) Be embarrassed
b) Become angry
c) Be in love
d) Be confused
Quiz 8: On Edge
What emotion does “On edge” describe?
a) Calm
b) Nervous or tense
c) Joyful
d) Loving
Quiz 9: Blown Away
If you’re “blown away,” what are you feeling?
a) Tired
b) Surprised or impressed
c) Angry
d) Bored
Quiz 10: Bored to Tears
What does this idiom mean?
a) Being sad
b) Being extremely bored
c) Crying from happiness
d) Being tired
Answers:
- c
- c
- b
- c
- d
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b
Conclusion
Feelings are complex, but idioms help us express them in vivid and relatable ways. Whether you’re full of joy or drowning in frustration, there’s an idiom to capture exactly how you feel.
Next time you’re writing a story, texting a friend, or just trying to say how your heart feels—try using one of these idioms. They can add color, emotion, and personality to your everyday conversations.