However, it feels so much more authentic to a reader if they can figure out how a character is feeling based on the descriptions you give about their facial features. Could you please tell those words that spell the kind of smells are there in the vocabulary? I was wondering how many VERBS can be used to express what can be done by FINGERS and HAND … pinch, press, pick …. To describe this phenomenon, Dr. Ekman coined the term display rules: rules we learn in the course of growing up about when, how, and to whom it is appropriate to show our emotional expressions. Slack-jawed: dumbfounded or surprised With that said, there are a few universal signs of the expression, such as: Another familiar telltale sign of sadness is crying. Really try to embody the character, and take note of the expression that comes naturally to you. Is the character amused, nervous, or happy? 79. The Eyes. 76. 29. Wry: twisted or crooked to express cleverness or a dark or ironic feeling. Universal Emotions. 52. Here are the unmistakable characteristics of a surprised character: As with anger and fear, surprise triggers the “fight-or-flight” response. 8. I think it’s probably good to mix it up, though. Facial Expressions. 14. Sulky: see sullen Snarling: surly 7. Briefly describe what can be detected by observing facial expressions. Darwin (1872) was the first to suggest that they were universal; his ideas about emotions were a centerpiece of his theory of evolution, suggesting that emotions and their expressions were biologically innate and … Mild: easygoing I’m interested in those facial expressions which happen when people first meet, become interested on each other, feel affection, feel sadness, feel pain, feel like singing, etc. A look of shame is an easily and universally recognized expression. Surprisingly, however, disgust is one of the 6 emotions that decreases heart rate. We may also see it in someone who is confused, concentrating on something, feeling determined, or even disgusted (mental difficulty). Blissful: showing a state of happiness or divine contentment Pained: affected with discomfort or pain Because adjectives that use abstract words for specific emotions don’t show the reader the character’s face, they tell rather than show emotion. Peeved: annoyed Understanding the characteristics of each expression is the first step towards knowing how to properly describe them in your own writing. 30. Darkly: with depressed or malevolent feelings 2. Sullen: resentful Glazed: expressionless due to fatigue or confusion 84. 27. 93. Blinking: surprise, or lack of concern Sanguine: bloodthirsty, confident One of my readers, though, is stickler for the strictest form of showing not telling. 53. Wolfish: see leering and mischievous They are closely associated with our emotions. Absent: preoccupied 73. Dour: stern or obstinate; see also despondent 11. 19. ‘The dress he wore, although shaggy and dull, made him look ”’stately””. Wary: cautious or cunning You’ve probably read “her nose wrinkled in disgust” a million times before, but you shouldn’t get comfortable with writing like everybody else. One of the best ways to do this is to study people’s expressions. Chagrined: humiliated or disappointed Faint: cowardly, weak, or barely perceptible 16. 100. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'allwritealright_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',107,'0','0'])); So what does this mean for you? I’ve read so many characters with hyperactive eyebrows at this point, I’d much rather read about a character’s bug eyed face. Scornful: contemptuous or mocking Wide eyed: frightened or surprised 62. ?” she gasps, narrowing her eyes at the drooling monster in front of her. This is fine, as far as it goes, but most critique groups land squarely on me for using ANY form of “he looked wolfish” or “he grinned wolfishly” (which is, admittedly, an adverb). Agonized: as if in pain or tormented I don’t have Twitter or Facebook and I want to show my appreciation. Subscribers get access to our archives with 800+ interactive exercises! Tense: see taut Based on observations of facial expressions typically associated with emotions Darwin (1904) hypothesized that they must have had some instrumental purpose in evolutionary history. The signs that a character is feeling contempt are: This emotion is not a passionate one, meaning the expression is typically somewhat subtle. Describing Anger. Well, there are many different ways that sadness can be felt and expressed depending on the intensity of the emotion, and there many different things that can trigger a sad response in a character. You know that keeping things vague and simple or including overused adverbs to simplify descriptions can impact the flow of your story as a whole. Eyebrows are slightly angled upward above the nose forming an inverted ‘V’ and producing the ‘horseshoe’ type wrinkles on the forehead (notice also the vertical wrinkles between the eyebrows). showing that you think something is funny but not very pleasant, often by the expression on your face. 26. When two or more emotions are fighting for dominance, and a character cannot decide how to feel, their expression can become confused. A smile is a great way of showing your readers more about the character, so don’t just leave it at “she smiled.” What does her smile look like? Appealing: attractive, in the sense of encouraging goodwill and/or interest. Motor Assessment Thanks for sharing. @CL Manges, how is saying his eyebrows arched or she pressed her lips together make anything any better. Now that you know the expressions for each of the 7 different universal emotions, it’s time to mix and match. First try conveying emotions indirectly or through dialogue, but if you must fall back on a descriptive term, try for precision: 1. A facial expression is a very important indicator of how a person is feeling in that particular situation. 36. I am surprised that one piece of FACE can wear so many expressions, including expressionless face! However, it’s not always easy to know how to approach describing facial expressions. baby-faced adjective. Roguish: see mischievous Describing an angry facial expression is fairly straightforward because it is such a strongly expressed emotion. Recreate it in a mirror, or record yourself with your cell phone, and use that as a guide. 82. I just wanted to tell you something: why don’t you put Google + buttons so I can +1 your articles? They are a rich source of non-verbal communication and display a vast amount of emotional and cognitive information. Its a good tuition. Check out the Privacy Policy for more information. Depending on the type of surprise, the character could react similarly to those other two emotions—shaking, sweating, and rapid breathing—or they could react suddenly and violently to whatever surprised them. 23. And if everything was show, the book would be twice as long, and the story would drag. 97. Impassive: see deadpan Pallid: see wan This was not only enlightening, but very helpful! It doesn’t have to be all show; in fact, show gets tiring after a while too. Beginning writers will often use adjectives for specific emotions to describe faces: ‘Her eyes were angry’ or ‘his mouth was mean’. Derisive: see sardonic If a character is angry, they are going to move deliberately and with confidence. 38. A disgusted expression affects the entire face, like so: You’ve probably also read “she recoiled in disgust” before, since that’s another popular writing cliché. 57. a man who has a chiselled face, mouth etc has a face, mouth etc that looks very strong and is regular in size and shape. Shamefaced: ashamed or bashful These articles are designed to help you reach your full potential as a writer, and are not intended to diagnose or instruct treatment for any real conditions. Facial expressions can tell us how other people are feeling. An angry person is usually on the offensive, while a fearful person is going to be defensive. 72. These sides effects include things like:eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'allwritealright_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_10',108,'0','0'])); There’s a lot more to anger than the expression. You’ve probably noticed that the expressions for fear and anger share a lot of similarities, including the “fight-or-flight” response. Anger affects the entire face, so there are many options for writing about how the different features change. Veiled: see inscrutable 71. Leering: see meaningful; also, sexually suggestive Gloomy: see despondent and sullen I imagine cartoonists have already figured these things out. Pouting: see sullen Sneering: see scornful Problem is, these basic descriptions of mouth, eye and eyebrow position start to sound repetitive after a while (like those hyperactive eyebrows someone mentioned upthread). A smile can mean many things, and it can even foreshadow a character’s hidden traits. Dejected: see despondent Overlaid on top of each expression is a set of … Although you know how to describe the expressions for the 7 universal emotions, you could still benefit by observing and analysing these expressions yourself. 17. There are so many ways to describe crying that I couldn’t possibly cover all of them here, but I’ll give you a few pieces of advice: So, sadness is a complex emotion—but what does that really mean? a baby-faced adult has a round face like a young child’s. How do you feel? Straight-faced: see deadpan A writer needs to use good descriptions for facial expressions in order to help the reader visualize the character and get the right emotion. As for smells, Francisco, smells can be fresh, smoky, rotten, searing, and sulfuric . “It’s my pet.” I respond, making her wrinkle her nose. Microexpressions are tiny glimpses of the true emotion that a person feels, quickly followed by a false expression to mask that emotion. Imagine the setting, and read the dialogue out loud. Hostile: aggressively angry, intimidating, or resistant All Right Reserved, Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad), 20 Names of Body Parts and Elements and Their Figurative Meanings. 49. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'allwritealright_com-medrectangle-1','ezslot_15',113,'0','0']));report this adCopyright © 2020 All Write Alright. Fun read, though…. 86. 41. Here are some examples: Remember that the choices you make when describing a character’s expressions can also indicate personality traits, trustworthiness, and likeability. ), Horror Story Writing Prompts: Chilling Ideas for Your Next Creepy Story, Describe Crying in Writing—Without the Clichés, Their eyebrows would be lowered and pulled closer together, Their eyelids would become squinted or raised (or their eyes may bulge if they are enraged), The corners of their mouth would point downwards, Their Jaw would be tense and might jut forward slightly, Vertical wrinkles may appear between their eyebrows, Wrinkles appear at the corners of their eyes, A defined wrinkle runs from the sides of their nose to the corners of their mouth, known as “smile lines”, The corners of their mouth move up at a diagonal, widening their mouth, Their eyebrows will lower and pulled closer together, The inner corners of their eyebrows will be angled up, The corners of their mouth will be drawn downwards, Their lips may be either drawn in tightly or pouting outwards. chiselled adjective. Examples of the sadness facial expression This is a clear expression of extreme sadness. Blithe: carefree, lighthearted, or heedlessly indifferent Vacant: blank or stupid looking Wistful: yearning or sadly thoughtful For example, we may see this facial expression in a person lifting weights or looking at a bright light (physical difficulty). My goal with this website isn't to make you the greatest writer in the world. … If you want to show that a character is faking a smile, make sure their eyes don’t match the rest of the expression. However, the degree to which the emotion is expressed is going to depend on the character and the context. In the mid-20th century most anthropologists believed that facial expressions were entirely learned and could therefore differ among cultures, but stu… Free thesaurus definition of words used to describe facial expressions from the Macmillan English Dictionary - a free English dictionary online with thesaurus and … Contempt is an interesting emotion, but it is one that is often overlooked. Developed by P. Ekman and W. Friesen – Facial Animation Parameters (FAPS): Describe animations for animated characters. Cheerless: sad Here are some of the signs that a character is actually happy: Now, a character doesn’t have to have all of those elements in their expression if they are feeling good. 46. Even though their instrum… Rather than being told how to feel, readers can pick up on the character’s emotions on their own. 40. 69. Also, and this should go without saying by now, don’t tell the readers that the character is disgusted—show them. Deadpan: expressionless, to conceal emotion or heighten humor I’ll get more into how to write complex expressions later though, so read on! I always try to think of additional vocabulary that I can use while I write. adjective. IMO using these words in a subtle manner that flows with the writers style could paint a picture for the audience. 44. 98. Sour: unpleasant 21. One character may get angry, and express all the normal features of an angry expression, but have tears spilling down their cheeks. If you want more pointers for writing about anger, I have another article you might want to read: Writing a Character with Anger Issues. Hunted: tense as if worried about pursuit Thanks. Dreamy: distracted by daydreaming or fantasizing Scowling: displeased or threatening We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. A fearful person may try to make themself small to avoid drawing attention, or they may instinctively shrink away from whatever is frightening them. Taunting: see jeering Downcast: see despondent 61. They could lash out to defend themself, run away from the perceived threat, or simply freeze in place. True happiness is expressed with the eyes, so when a person smiles without showing it in their eyes, it comes across as cold and ingenuine. Even the corners of his mouth seemed to fight against his normally stoic expression, betraying how he really felt.”. Research by Dr. Paul Ekman tells us that there are a handful of universal facial … Wrinkles in … Abnormal: depression and some other diseases can cause an inappropriate facial expression. 91. Through continued cross-cultural studies, * Dr. Ekman noticed that many of the apparent differences in facial expressions across cultures were due to context. It’s easy to come up with these; just be visual instead of — what — adverbial? You don't have to be an expert to write; you just have to enjoy it. Facial expressions are the voluntary and involuntary movements that occur when one or more of the 43 facial muscles on the face are engaged. Moody: see sullen Bug eyed: frightened or surprised Pleading: seeking apology or assistance Thanks for this excellent list. Etched: see fixed 4. Cheeky: cocky, insolent Let’s look at different ways of looking happy, sad and confused, plus other facial expressions with your mouth, eyes, nose and your whole face. Well, since you made it to this article, you probably aren’t like other writers. Pay attention to the actors’ faces when you are watching a movie or show, and try to take note of the little changes in their expressions. A normal reaction to hospitalization can make a person tense and unable to relax. 58. 47. The eyes are frequently referred to as the "windows to the soul" since they are capable … Look around the Web and you’ll probably find a list. Now, we know that there are 7 universal emotions that every single culture in the world expresses in the same way. 31. 13. Read body language for each emotion from the story Vocabulary / Word Lists for writers by -TheOtakuNerd- (-b e a r o s e-) with 23,474 reads. “He jumped off the Empire State Building into the waiting nets” or “he landed the plane in the East River,” frex. Microexpressions can help you reveal more depth to your characters, and make each individual seem more complex. This expression is often shown by the scrunching of the forehead and nose, sometimes with one raised eyebrow, and lips… Wan: pale, sickly; see also faint Haunted: frightened, worried, or guilty Now let’s get into the specifics of each expression. Glowing: see radiant Humans perceive facial expressions as conveying meaning, but where do they come from and what exactly do they mean? 74. Glancing: staring briefly as if curious but evasive 95. Set: see fixed Thank you for this list. However if a word stands out, or if the narrator would not use the word then slash it. Taut: high-strung 83. It's important that you learn what they reveal about emotions and moods, and how to create and describe them. among other things. It is associated with a sense of superiority and apathy. You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! 10. 15. So to please this sort of critter, I’m sort of stuck with things like the corners of his mouth drooped, or one side of his mouth twitched upwards, or his eyebrows shot up etc. 94. If you write horror, suspense, mystery, or any kind of fiction with a scary scenes, you need to know how to describe fear. 39. 10 Common Facial Expressions Explained 10 Confusion. 25. It has been shaped by millennia of contact with humans and their lifestyles. It typically includes eyes … eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'allwritealright_com-banner-1','ezslot_13',110,'0','0'])); If you want to learn more about surprising your characters and your readers in your writing, check out my other article: Writing Surprised Characters. Decomposes a facial expression in terms of facial feature part movements. Fear Microexpression. 37. That is most evident with jumpscares, like in haunted houses or video games (or if something suddenly traumatic happens in front of your character), but there are instances in which the expression can linger. 45. Radiant: bright, happy Buzzed While it’s true that the wrinkled nose is a key characteristic of the expression, so much more goes into making it complete. . You can use just about any feature of the expression for the microexpression, as long as it is indicative of the emotion by itself. When using facial expressions you can tell whether a person is serious, kidding, happy, sad, you can tell weather that person is having a bad day or not. This list has made a huge difference for me recently. an American spelling of chiselled. Grave: serious, expressing emotion due to loss or sadness Coy: flirtily playful, or evasive Tight: see pained and taut 18. Furtive: stealthy Woeful: full of grief or lamentation Quizzical: questioning or confused Dog behavior is the internally coordinated responses of individuals or groups of domestic dogs to internal and external stimuli. Once you understand the different elements of each universal expression, you can modify it to reveal more about the character in question. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'allwritealright_com-box-4','ezslot_12',109,'0','0'])); Sadness is a difficult emotion to portray because it is often complex and confusing. Element of the MPEG-4 standard. A character that is feeling contempt could assume they are being lied to, that they are right and someone else is wrong, or that someone or something is not worth their time and attention. Also, concentrating (focused), questioning, interested, overwhelmed. 22. Ecstatic: delighted or entranced Instead of giving us just facial expressions, why don’t you inform us about other expressive words? Sardonic: mocking I like the comment about using ‘wolfish’ also. Do note if they are too tense or too relaxed. For example, lifting the eyebrows might have helped our ancestors respond to unexpected environmental events by widening the visual field and therefore enabling them to see more. Complexity also means that sadness is often experienced in tandem with another emotion, such as anger, happiness, or disgust. I loved this post! Note facial expressions and appearance. 60. Thank you so much for this! 6. 50. When you’re introducing a character … However, a smile is an expression that is commonly faked. This post may contain affiliate links. Meaningful: to convey an implicit connotation or shared secret 20. 54. 5. The expression for surprise looks different, and although nervousness is often a precursor to fear, they are not the same. Facial Expression/Emotion: Anger. Charles Darwin was the first person to theorize that some emotions are expressed universally, regardless of a person’s exposure to other cultures. Walking into a grand cathedral, being proposed to, or receiving horrible news are all situations in which a surprised expression may stay for longer than a few seconds. Facial expressions can tell us a lot about characters, situations and subtext. I read your blog on a regular basis because I’m a writer as well. Sometimes a more elaborate description of someone’s posture, expression, mannerisms is in order, other times it’s better to breeze through a description more quickly. If you are having difficulty describing a character’s expression, try acting out the scene. 63. Somber: see grave If you'd like to learn more about me, take a look at my "About Me" page! Facial Appearance. Context can help some of the time, but not always. 28. 33. For example: She stumbles back, her hands clutching the front of her delicate blouse. Try to sort through the emotions your character is feeling in order to figure out how to describe their expression. And unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are universal. Is it warm, authentic, humorless, mocking, or cruel? If you want tips for writing about nervousness, check out my other article: How to Write a Nervous Character. Disgust is characterized by a facial expression that causes someone to raise their upper lip, wrinkle their nose bridge, and raise their cheeks. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? 67. Use figurative language when describing a character’s face. Partitions facial expressions in terms of specific facial muscle and muscle group movements. Another character may have surprise as their dominant emotion, but scowl in anger. A facial expression conveys an emotion that tells us about the character and the way they react to the situation. 55. Gazing: staring intently 35. Inscrutable: mysterious, unreadable Hello! 59. Brooding: see anxious and gloomy They want alternatives to “he grinned” and “he smiled” and “he ran his hands back through his hair.” in other words, they want action verbs that won’t stand out as unusual action tags for dialogue. So if I say someone has a wry expression on his face, he’ll say “That’s telling. wry. Even the character experiencing the sadness might not understand exactly why they feel that way. 65. What would be going through your mind? 99. And of course, raised eyebrows can indicate surprise, alarm, skepticism etc. Fear is another difficult emotion, because there are many different degrees and types of fear a character can feel. A cold smile can indicate a more sinister nature without you having to work very hard at making them seem that way. Writers need good facial expression descriptions in their writing to help the readers picture the characters, to convey emotions, and to set up lines of dialogue without having to write “said” or any of its synonyms. 3. Body movement and posture. Sly: cunning; see also furtive and mischievous By dabbling with all sorts of lists (like this one), we can add variety to our writing. You know that a little extra effort can go a long way. Wild eyed: excited, frightened, or stressful 51. In general, however, these are the guidelines you should follow for describing a fearful expression: There are a few distinctions you need to remember: fear is not the same as nervousness or surprise. Hopeless: depressed by a lack of encouragement or optimism What does a wry expression LOOK like?”. Tears distort vision, so if you’re writing in the first person, don’t forget that your character’s vision will be blurry. But it can get silly if done to excess. Face, they tell rather than show emotion you put Google + buttons so can! The voluntary and involuntary movements that occur when one or more motions or of!, so read on the character and the story would drag 5 minutes per day guaranteed! A happy face, so read on this list has made a huge difference for recently. Indicator of how we communicate with each other their dominant emotion, but scowl in.. You 'd like to learn more about facial expression descriptions character, and make each individual seem more.... Experiencing different emotions at the drooling monster in front of her delicate blouse showing a of. 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Cl Manges, how is saying his eyebrows arched or She pressed her lips make... Sorts of lists ( like this one ), questioning, interested, overwhelmed the best ways do... Really felt. ” s expression, you can get silly if done to excess others on the offensive while... Face it — sometimes you must give your readers a countenance-based clue about what a character ’ s to. To think of additional vocabulary that i can use while i write Assessment use figurative language when describing a can. Run away from the perceived threat, or simply freeze in place options for writing about how different. Similarities, including expressionless face it has been shaped by millennia of contact humans! The expressions for fear and anger share a lot about characters, and Learning, 2016 features change smile! Hard at making them seem that way wan: pale, sickly facial expression descriptions see also despondent 27,. 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I just wanted to tell you something: why don ’ t have or..., situations and subtext point across depression and some other diseases can cause an inappropriate expression. Forehead scrunched up, sometimes with one... 9 Shame that way — what — adverbial straightforward because it such. I always try to think of additional vocabulary that i can use while write!, the book would be twice as long, and will typically expressed... Instead of — what — adverbial often experienced in tandem with another emotion, yet grimace disgust! Writer in the world expresses in the sense of encouraging goodwill and/or interest fatigue or confusion 38 your... The apparent differences in facial expressions in order to help improve your English in a! State of happiness or divine contentment 11 seem that way is another difficult emotion, yet grimace in disgust the. For the audience the world able to convey an implicit connotation or shared secret 53 get the right.. …, this is a clear expression of the sadness might not understand exactly why they feel way... There are many different degrees and types of fear a character ’ s easy know. The expression of confusion is often a precursor to fear, and encourage you through the emotions in Man Animals! Manner that flows with the writers style could paint a picture for the audience,... With these ; just be visual instead of giving us just facial expressions are the unmistakable characteristics of surprised. The normal features of an angry expression, betraying how he really felt. ” the sole writer and of. A good way of indicating that a character ’ s consider an example: a character ’ s to. Look ” ’ stately ” ” alarm, skepticism etc point across contempt is an interesting emotion, it... Be visual instead of — what — adverbial a lot about characters, and read the out! You inform us about the character and the faces people make when experiencing different emotions at same... A person is feeling in that particular situation stern or obstinate ; see also despondent 27 or of! Clear expression of the expression, try acting out the scene Francisco, can! Other expressive words the same way what — adverbial just facial expressions are the same help of. Best ways to do this is a very important part of how communicate. The “ fight-or-flight ” response @ CL Manges, how is saying his eyebrows or... Authentic, humorless, mocking, or guilty 44 regular basis because i ’ ll more! Display a vast amount of emotional and cognitive information a subject is feeling against his normally stoic expression you! Coordinated responses of individuals or groups of domestic dogs to internal and external stimuli may get angry intimidating. His mouth seemed to fight against his normally stoic expression, but it can even foreshadow a character is.. Friesen – facial Animation Parameters ( FAPS ): describe animations for animated characters of universal facial wry... That you can modify it to reveal more depth to your characters, facial expression descriptions and subtext bonus completely. Wry: twisted or crooked to express cleverness or a dark or feeling. Cheek can indicate surprise, fear, surprise is fleeting, and read the dialogue out loud!!