Emotion charades words
The only deck where the whole performance happens above the neck. No props, no gestures, no scene to build — just a face and a posture, which makes it the deck people are most self-conscious about and the one that produces the best rounds once they stop being.
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A different skill from the rest of the game
Every other charades category rewards invention: how do I build a scene that says "photosynthesis"? This one rewards commitment. There is exactly one way to mime "embarrassed" and everybody knows it; the only question is whether you will do it properly in front of your family.
That is why it works as a warm-up. Four rounds of emotions and the room has already done the embarrassing part, so the harder decks stop feeling exposing.
Face first, body second
Beginners mime emotions with their hands. It does not read. The face carries almost all of it, and posture carries the rest — slumped for defeated, coiled for nervous, taking up space for confident. If you find yourself gesturing, you have probably been given a word that is not really an emotion.
Hardest in the deck: the neighbours. Annoyed, frustrated and furious are the same performance at three volumes, and telling them apart is most of the challenge.
Beyond party games
Drama warm-ups. A standard exercise: same line, different emotion, round the circle. This list is a ready-made prompt stack.
ESL speaking practice. Run it as the describing version instead of silent miming — the clue-giver has to produce emotional vocabulary under time pressure, which is exactly the language that does not come up in textbook dialogue.
Feelings work with children. Naming an emotion you can see on someone else's face is a genuine skill, and this is a painless way to practise it. Keep to the first twenty or so words with a young group; "ambivalent" is not a useful thing for a six-year-old to mime. The kids version of the game has more on adjusting the rules for children.
The 70 words
Free to read, print or play. Tap play this deck and the game deals them on your phone with a timer and team scoring — no app, no sign-up, and no word repeats in the same session.
😀 Emotions — 70 words
Feelings and states of mind, acted out with a face and a posture and nothing else. Deceptively difficult: there are only so many ways to perform 'confused' before you start repeating yourself, which is exactly why it produces good rounds. Excellent for drama classes and for language practice.
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Scared
- Surprised
- Excited
- Bored
- Confused
- Jealous
- Proud
- Shy
- Nervous
- Tired
- Sleepy
- Disgusted
- Embarrassed
- Curious
- Relaxed
- Worried
- Grumpy
- Cheerful
- Lonely
- Confident
- Frustrated
- Hopeful
- Guilty
- Silly
- Serious
- Annoyed
- Calm
- Anxious
- Grateful
- Disappointed
- Amazed
- Furious
- Terrified
- Ecstatic
- Heartbroken
- Relieved
- Suspicious
- Playful
- Overwhelmed
- In love
- Brave
- Panicked
- Nostalgic
- Indecisive
- Peaceful
- Sulking
- Uneasy
- Affectionate
- Regretful
- Impatient
- Smug
- Homesick
- Bashful
- Startled
- Determined
- Sympathetic
- Envious
- Resentful
- Content
- Flustered
- Stubborn
- Astonished
- Apologetic
- Defeated
- Triumphant
- Doubtful
- Restless
More word lists
Every list on the site (2,400+ words across 33 decks), the charades game itself, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Halloween word lists.
Frequently asked questions
What are good emotion charades words?
Start with the big six - happy, sad, angry, scared, surprised, disgusted - because everyone reads them instantly and it builds confidence. The interesting ones come after: smug, homesick, flustered, triumphant. Those need a posture as well as a face.
How do you act out an emotion in charades?
Face first, body second, hands last. The face carries most of it and posture carries the rest - slumped for defeated, coiled for nervous. If you are gesturing with your hands, you are probably acting a situation rather than a feeling.
Is emotion charades good for kids?
Yes, and it is genuinely useful as well as fun - naming a feeling you can see on someone else's face is a real skill. Stick to the simpler words with a young group and let them guess out of turn.
Can you use emotion charades for drama or ESL classes?
Both, and they are common uses. For drama it works as a warm-up - same line, different emotion, round the circle. For ESL, run the describing version so the clue-giver has to produce emotional vocabulary under time pressure.
More game ideas
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