Random Emotion Generator: 132 Feelings by Family, From Mild to Strong

One press draws a feeling from a list of 132, with its family, how strong it is and what it means.

Random Emotion Generator: 132 Feelings by Family, From Mild to Strong

  1. FearOne of Ekman's six and Plutchik's eight, and the opposite of anger. The response to a threat.Medium

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Random Emotion Generator: 132 Feelings by Family, From Mild to Strong: how it works

Press New emotion and this random emotion generator brings up one feeling of 132: 108 emotions in seven families, plus 24 everyday moods. Each card names the family, says if the feeling is mild, medium or strong, and gives a plain meaning. Tap a family chip, a strength chip or both, or start the timer for acting rounds.

How to read a card

Every emotion sits in one of seven families, from joy to disgust. Inside a family the words climb a ladder, so annoyance is mild anger and rage is anger at full strength. Those steps follow Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions, which also builds some feelings from two others. Awe is fear plus surprise, and the card names both parents.

Use it as a random mood generator

Tap Moods and the draw turns to 24 everyday moods, such as chipper, cranky and on edge. A mood is less intense than an emotion, can last for hours or days, and often has no single cause. A trait lasts longer still, so hot-tempered lives on the personality generator and cranky lives here.

Tips

  • For an improv emotion switch, set the timer to 30 seconds and start a scene. When a new card lands, play the same lines in the new feeling.
  • Drawing expressions? Tap Fear, set the count to 5 and sketch all five side by side. Making worry look different from dread is the whole exercise.
  • Stuck on a scene? Draw 1 and hand the feeling to the character with the least reason to feel it. Then write until the reason turns up.

Questions and answers

I searched give me a random emotion. Is the draw really random?

Yes. Each press draws from the whole list, or from the family you tapped, with no weighting. Nothing repeats until you have seen every card. The Emotion of the day strip is the one fixed thing: it depends only on the date, so everyone sees the same card that day.

Why does disgust get a family of its own?

Two of the three models we checked treat it that way. Paul Ekman counts disgust among six basic emotions, and Plutchik gives it a petal of his wheel, opposite trust. The 1987 tree by Shaver's team files disgust, contempt and loathing under anger instead, so contempt and scorn sit under both here.

Can I use this for a feelings check-in with a class?

Yes, with an adult leading. The list is written for grown-ups and holds heavy words such as grief, despair and humiliation, so a blind draw is not for young children. Instead, tap one family, draw 5 and ask which word is closest to today. Meanings are everyday ones, not clinical terms.

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All 132 emotions

Joy 30

  • Amusement Mild joy. Finding something funny, from a private smile to a snort of laughter.
  • Bittersweetness Plutchik's mix of two opposites, joy and sadness. Glad and sad about the same thing at once.
  • Chipper A mood. Brisk and cheerful, with energy to spare first thing in the morning.
  • Contentment Mild joy. A settled feeling that what you have right now is enough.
  • Delight Joy plus surprise in Plutchik's model. Pleasure at something you did not see coming.
  • Ecstasy Joy at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. Delight so big it crowds out every other thought.
  • Elation Strong joy. A soaring lift after good news or a win.
  • Enthusiasm Medium joy. Keen, active interest that makes you want to join in.
  • Euphoria Strong joy. A rush of well-being and excitement that seems to fill the whole body.
  • Excitement Medium joy. Energy and eagerness about something happening now or very soon.
  • Giddy A mood. Light-headed with excitement, close to a fit of giggles.
  • Glee Strong joy. High-spirited delight that is hard to keep quiet, often with laughter.
  • Happiness One of Ekman's six basic emotions. The plain, general word for feeling good.
  • Hope Anticipation plus trust in Plutchik's model. Wanting a good outcome and believing it could come.
  • Joy The middle ring of Plutchik's joy petal, and the opposite of sadness. Bright, open gladness.
  • Mellow A mood. Relaxed and unhurried, hard to ruffle.
  • Mischievous A mood. Looking for harmless trouble, with a plan and a grin.
  • Nostalgia A bittersweet longing for a time that is gone, usually one remembered as happy.
  • Optimism Anticipation plus joy in Plutchik's model. Expecting things to turn out well.
  • Peaceful A mood. Quiet inside, with nothing pulling at you.
  • Playful A mood. Ready for games and teasing, with nothing taken too seriously.
  • Pride Pleasure in something you did well. Shaver's team files it under joy. Plutchik mixes it from anger and joy.
  • Relief Medium joy. The release when a threat or a worry lifts. The shoulders drop and the breath goes out.
  • Satisfaction Mild joy. The quiet pleasure of a job finished or a need met.
  • Schadenfreude Borrowed from German: pleasure at someone else's bad luck. The nearest English word is gloating.
  • Serenity Joy at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. Calm, untroubled and in no hurry to be anywhere else.
  • Silly A mood. Goofy for the fun of it, with funny voices and bad jokes.
  • Thrill Strong joy. A sudden, sharp wave of excitement, often with a little fear in it.
  • Triumph Strong joy. The feeling of winning after a real struggle. Shaver's team files it under pride.
  • Upbeat A mood. Looking on the bright side and expecting the day to go well.

Love and trust 16

  • Acceptance Trust at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. Letting someone or something in without a fight.
  • Admiration Trust at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. Looking up to someone for who they are or what they can do.
  • Adoration Strong love. Treasuring someone so much that their faults barely register.
  • Affection Mild love. Steady warmth toward someone, shown in small everyday ways.
  • Ambivalence Plutchik's mix of two opposites, trust and disgust. Drawn to something and put off by it at once.
  • Compassion Medium love. Being moved by someone's pain and wanting to ease it.
  • Cozy A mood. Warm, safe and tucked in, glad to stay exactly where you are.
  • Gratitude Medium love. Warm thanks toward someone who was kind or helped you.
  • Infatuation Strong love. A sudden crush that takes over your thoughts and may not last.
  • Longing An ache for someone or something out of reach. Shaver's team files it under love.
  • Love Joy plus trust in Plutchik's model. In Shaver's tree it is a whole family of its own.
  • Saudade Borrowed from Portuguese: a deep, fond longing for someone or something absent that may never return.
  • Sentimentality Trust plus sadness in Plutchik's model. Tender feeling stirred by keepsakes, songs and old photos.
  • Sympathy Feeling sorry for someone's trouble without sharing it. Shaver's team files it under sadness.
  • Tenderness Mild love. Gentle, protective care for someone small, hurt or dear to you.
  • Trust One of Plutchik's eight primary emotions, and the opposite of disgust. Feeling safe relying on someone.

Surprise and anticipation 17

  • Amazement Surprise at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. Wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
  • Anticipation One of Plutchik's eight primary emotions, and the opposite of surprise. Looking ahead to what comes next.
  • Astonishment Strong surprise. So taken aback that you stop and stare.
  • Awe Fear plus surprise in Plutchik's model. Feeling small in front of something vast.
  • Confusion Plutchik's mix of two opposites, surprise and anticipation. Not knowing what to expect or believe.
  • Curiosity Trust plus surprise in Plutchik's model. The itch to find out more.
  • Dazed A mood. Foggy and slow after a surprise, a long day or too little sleep.
  • Disappointment Surprise plus sadness in Plutchik's model. The drop when something falls short of what you hoped for.
  • Disbelief Refusing to accept what you just heard. Plutchik calls it unbelief: surprise plus disgust.
  • Distraction Surprise at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. Attention pulled away by something new.
  • Interest Anticipation at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. Attention caught and held.
  • Outrage Surprise plus anger in Plutchik's model. Shocked fury at something that breaks the rules of decency.
  • Shock Strong surprise. A sudden blow of bad news that leaves you numb. Shaver's team files it under fear.
  • Surprise One of Ekman's six and Plutchik's eight. The brief jolt when something unexpected happens.
  • Suspense Tense waiting for an outcome you cannot see yet. Shaver's team files it under fear.
  • Vigilance Anticipation at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. Watchful, braced and scanning for what comes next.
  • Wonder Medium surprise. Open, pleased curiosity at something beautiful or hard to explain.

Sadness 24

  • Anguish Strong sadness. Pain of the mind so sharp it feels like pain of the body.
  • Despair Fear plus sadness in Plutchik's model. The belief that nothing can make things better.
  • Drained A mood. Worn out, with nothing left to give.
  • Embarrassment Hot-faced discomfort at a slip made in front of others. Shaver's team files it under sadness.
  • Envy Sadness plus anger in Plutchik's model. Wanting what someone else has.
  • Flat A mood. Low on energy, with nothing feeling like very much.
  • Glum A mood. Quietly down, with short answers and a long face.
  • Grief Sadness at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. The deep pain of losing someone or something loved.
  • Guilt Knowing you did wrong. Shaver's team files it under sadness. Plutchik mixes it from joy and fear.
  • Heartbreak Strong sadness. The crushing loss when love ends or a deep hope falls apart.
  • Homesickness Medium sadness. Missing home and the people in it while you are away.
  • Humiliation Strong sadness. Being made to feel small in front of other people.
  • Hurt Medium sadness. The sting of being let down or wounded by someone who matters to you.
  • Loneliness Medium sadness. Wanting company or closeness and not having it.
  • Melancholy Medium sadness. Long, quiet and thoughtful, often with no single cause.
  • Mortification Embarrassment so sharp you want to vanish. Shaver's team files it under fear.
  • Pensiveness Sadness at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. Quiet, inward and a little heavy.
  • Pessimism Sadness plus anticipation in Plutchik's model. Expecting things to turn out badly.
  • Regret Medium sadness. Wishing you had chosen differently.
  • Remorse Sadness plus disgust in Plutchik's model. Deep, painful regret for a wrong you did.
  • Sadness One of Ekman's six and Plutchik's eight, and the opposite of joy. The feeling that follows a loss.
  • Shame Fear plus disgust in Plutchik's model. Feeling that you yourself are bad, not just the thing you did.
  • Sorrow Strong sadness. Slow and deep, carried for a long time and rarely shown in public.
  • Weepy A mood. Close to tears all day, set off by small things.

Anger 19

  • Anger One of Ekman's six and Plutchik's eight, and the opposite of fear. The response to being wronged or blocked.
  • Annoyance Anger at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. A small thing getting under your skin.
  • Bitterness Medium anger. Old hurt that has soured into a lasting grudge.
  • Contempt Disgust plus anger in Plutchik's model. Judging someone as beneath respect.
  • Cranky A mood. Easily set off, usually by being tired, hungry or too hot.
  • Exasperation Medium anger. The end of your patience after the same problem comes round again.
  • Frozenness Plutchik's mix of two opposites, fear and anger. Pulled both ways at once, so you do not move at all.
  • Frustration Medium anger. Being blocked from something you want and should be able to get.
  • Fury Strong anger. Wild and violent, and Plutchik's other word for rage.
  • Grumpy A mood. Low-level bad temper aimed at nothing in particular.
  • Hatred Strong anger. Deep, lasting ill will toward someone or something.
  • Indignation Medium anger. Anger at something you judge unfair or insulting.
  • Irritation Mild anger. Patience wearing thin under something that keeps on happening.
  • Jealousy Fear of losing someone or something you have to a rival. Shaver's team files it under anger.
  • Rage Anger at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. Hot, loud and hard to control.
  • Resentment Medium anger. A grudge kept warm over something that felt unfair.
  • Scorn Strong contempt, shown openly with a sneer or a cutting word. Plutchik's other word for contempt.
  • Sulky A mood. Silent and cross, waiting for someone to notice.
  • Wrath Strong anger. Fierce and set on punishing, the word old stories use for angry gods and kings.

Fear 16

  • Alarm Medium fear. A sudden alert that danger is close and something must be done.
  • Angst Borrowed from German: a gnawing mix of anxiety and insecurity.
  • Anxiety Anticipation plus fear in Plutchik's model. Worry about what might happen, often with no clear target.
  • Apprehension Fear at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. A sense that something may be about to go wrong.
  • Dread Strong fear. Heavy, slow fear of something you know is coming.
  • Fear One of Ekman's six and Plutchik's eight, and the opposite of anger. The response to a threat.
  • Horror Strong fear. Fear mixed with shock and disgust at something dreadful.
  • Jittery A mood. Shaky and unable to sit still, with nervous energy to burn.
  • Nervousness Mild fear. Jitters before something that matters, such as a test or a first meeting.
  • On edge A mood. Tense and jumpy, braced for something to go wrong.
  • Panic Strong fear. Sudden, frantic and beyond clear thinking. Plutchik's other word for terror.
  • Restless A mood. Unable to settle, wanting to be somewhere else without knowing where.
  • Shyness Mild fear. Holding back around people you do not know well, in case they judge you.
  • Tense A mood. Wound tight, with stiff shoulders and a clenched jaw.
  • Terror Fear at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. Overwhelming, with no thought left but escape.
  • Worry Mild fear. Turning a possible problem over and over in your mind.

Disgust 8

  • Boredom Disgust at its mildest on Plutchik's wheel. Nothing here holds your attention.
  • Cynicism Disgust plus anticipation in Plutchik's model. Expecting the worst motives from everyone.
  • Disgust One of Ekman's six and Plutchik's eight, and the opposite of trust. The urge to get away from something foul.
  • Distaste Mild disgust. Polite dislike, shown with a wrinkled nose more than a word.
  • Ennui Borrowed from French: weary, listless boredom that nothing seems able to lift.
  • Fed up A mood. You have had enough of something and cannot hide it any longer.
  • Loathing Disgust at full strength on Plutchik's wheel. You cannot stand to be near the thing.
  • Revulsion Strong disgust. A whole-body recoil. Plutchik's other word for loathing.

Moods 2

  • Dreamy A mood. Half here and half somewhere nicer, drifting from thought to thought.
  • Thoughtful A mood. Quiet and turned inward, chewing something over.

How this list was compiled: We chose and wrote this list of 132 feeling words ourselves: 108 emotions and 24 everyday moods. Checked on 2026-09-18 against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion_classification, which sets out Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions (1980), the Shaver et al. (1987) emotion tree as revised by Parrott (2001), and Paul Ekman's six basic emotions. From that article: the mild, medium and strong ratings of the 24 wheel words, the opposite pairs, the 24 two-emotion mixtures (they sit on 25 cards, because Contempt and Scorn share the mix of disgust and anger), and every line that says where Shaver's team files a word. The Joy, Sadness, Anger and Fear groups follow the Shaver tree. Love and trust joins Shaver's love family to Plutchik's trust petal. Surprise and anticipation holds the two ends of one axis of Plutchik's wheel. Disgust is a family of its own in Plutchik and Ekman; Shaver's team files it under anger. A mixture is listed under both parents only where a reader would look for it there, and the card always names both. Every other mild, medium or strong rating is our own grading, made by placing the word beside the wheel words of its family. Moods carry no rating. The difference between a mood and an emotion follows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mood_(psychology), checked 2026-09-18. The meanings of the loanwords schadenfreude, saudade, angst and ennui were checked the same day against their English Wikipedia articles. Descriptions are in our own words and describe everyday usage. They are not clinical definitions, and no clinical condition is on the list. Licence: own work