I will share 40 idioms related to different emotions. These idioms cover happiness, sadness, love, hate, anger, calmness, excitement, hurt, mixed emotions, and the ways we hide or express feelings.
Each idiom includes a short meaning and a simple example to illustrate its use. This guide will help you understand and use these idioms to describe your emotions clearly and effectively.
List of 40 idioms for emotions
- On Cloud Nine
- Over the Moon
- Walking on Air
- Tickled Pink
- Down in the Dumps
- Feel Blue
- Heartbreaking
- In Low Spirits
- Head Over Heels
- Love at First Sight
- Puppy Love
- Apple of My Eye
- Cold Shoulder
- Hit the Roof
- Bent Out of Shape
- Rub Someone the Wrong Way
- Blow a Fuse
- Seeing Red
- Hit the Ceiling
- Fit to be Tied
- Keep Your Cool
- Chill Out
- Easy Does It
- Calm Before the Storm
- Jump for Joy
- Full of Beans
- Over the Top
- Cheer Up
- Heartbroken
- Take It to Heart
- Cry Me a River
- Hit Hard
- Bittersweet
- Mixed Feelings
- Torn Between Two
- Roller Coaster of Emotions
- Bottled Up
- Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
- Keep a Stiff Upper Lip
- Cry Wolf
Idioms for Feeling Happy
On Cloud Nine
Meaning: Extremely happy.
Example: “I was on cloud nine when I got the job.”
Over the Moon
Meaning: Very happy.
Example: “She was over the moon about her promotion.”
Walking on Air
Meaning: Feeling joyful.
Example: “After winning the prize, he was walking on air.”

Tickled Pink
Meaning: Delighted.
Example: “I’m tickled pink with your gift.”
Idioms for Feeling Sad
Down in the Dumps
Meaning: Feeling sad.
Example: “He’s down in the dumps after the breakup.”
Feel Blue
Meaning: Feeling sad.
Example: “I often feel blue on rainy days.”
Heartbreaking
Meaning: Extremely sad.
Example: “The news was heartbreaking for everyone.”
In Low Spirits
Meaning: Feeling sad.
Example: “She’s been in low spirits since the accident.”
Idioms for Love Emotion
Head Over Heels
Meaning: Deeply in love.
Example: “They are head over heels for each other.”
Love at First Sight
Meaning: Instant love.
Example: “It was love at first sight for them.”
Puppy Love
Meaning: Young love.
Example: “Their puppy love was sweet and innocent.”
Apple of My Eye
Meaning: Someone precious.
Example: “My daughter is the apple of my eye.”
Idioms for Hate Emotion
Cold Shoulder
Meaning: hate and Ignore.
Example: “She gave me the cold shoulder at the party.”
Hit the Roof
Meaning: Get very angry.
Example: “Dad hit the roof when he saw the mess.”
Bent Out of Shape
Meaning: Upset.
Example: “He got bent out of shape over the comment.”
Rub Someone the Wrong Way
Meaning: Annoy.
Example: “Her remarks rubbed him the wrong way.”
Idioms for Anger
Blow a Fuse
Meaning: Get very angry.
Example: “He blew a fuse when he found out.”
Seeing Red
Meaning: Extremely angry.
Example: “I was seeing red after the insult.”
Hit the Ceiling
Meaning: Get very angry.
Example: “Mom hit the ceiling when I broke the vase.”
Fit to be Tied
Meaning: Extremely angry.
Example: “He was fit to be tied after the loss.”
Idioms for Calm/Relax
Keep Your Cool
Meaning: Stay calm.
Example: “She kept her cool during the argument.”
Chill Out
Meaning: Relax.
Example: “Let’s chill out this weekend.”
Easy Does It
Meaning: Slow down.
Example: “Easy does it, there’s no rush.”

Calm Before the Storm
Meaning: Peace before trouble.
Example: “Enjoy the calm before the storm.”
Idioms for Excitement/Chill/Cheerful
Jump for Joy
Meaning: Very excited.
Example: “She jumped for joy at the good news.”
Full of Beans
Meaning: Energetic.
Example: “The kids are full of beans today.”
Over the Top
Meaning: Excessive excitement.
Example: “His reaction was over the top before he got bored.”
Cheer Up
Meaning: Be happier.
Example: “Cheer up, it’s not the end of the world.”
Idioms for Hurt Feelings
Heartbroken
Meaning: Very sad.
Example: “She was heartbroken and suffering after the breakup.”
Take It to Heart
Meaning: Take personally pain.
Example: “He took the criticism to heart.”
Cry Me a River
Meaning: Excessive tears.
Example: “You made a mistake, no need to cry me a river.”
Hit Hard
Meaning: Affect deeply.
Example: “The news hit him hard.”
Idioms for Mixed Emotions or Feelings
Bittersweet
Meaning: Mixed feelings.
Example: “Graduation was a bittersweet moment.”
Mixed Feelings
Meaning: Conflicted emotions.
Example: “I have mixed feelings about moving.”
Torn Between Two
Meaning: Conflicted.
Example: “She was torn between two choices.”
Roller Coaster of Emotions
Meaning: Rapid changes.
Example: “The movie was a roller coaster of emotions.”
Idioms for Hiding and Expressing Emotions
Bottled Up
Meaning: Hidden emotions.
Example: “He has bottled up his feelings for years.”
Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Meaning: Show emotions openly.
Example: “She wears her heart on her sleeve.”
Keep a Stiff Upper Lip
Meaning: Hide emotions.
Example: “He kept a stiff upper lip during the crisis.”
Cry Wolf
Meaning: False alarm.
Example: “He cried wolf too many times to be trusted.”
Why are idioms useful in expressing emotions?
Idioms provide a vivid and concise way to convey complex feelings. They allow us to communicate emotions effectively without needing long explanations.
How can I use idioms to describe mixed emotions?
To use Idioms for mixed emotions use like “bittersweet,” “mixed feelings,” and “roller coaster of emotions” are perfect for describing complex emotional states. They help capture the nuances of conflicting feelings.
Can idioms help in hiding emotions?
Yes, idioms like “bottled up” and “keep a stiff upper lip” describe how people can hide their true feelings. They offer insight into the ways we manage and conceal emotions.
Conclusion
I shared 40 idiom examples to help you express various emotions, from happiness and sadness to love and anger. By understanding and using these idioms, you can describe your feelings more vividly and effectively.
Whether you’re feeling on cloud nine or down in the dumps, there’s an idiom to match your mood. These idioms not only enrich your language but also make your communication more relatable and impactful.