Emotion Wheel Spinner

Spin one of 92 emotions, from the 8 basic ones to blends like awe and envy, each with a note on how it shows.

Emotion Wheel Spinner

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Spin 1 · number 30

Contempt

Disgust plus anger, neighbors on the wheel. Face coders mark it as a one-sided lip corner pull and dimple: the lopsided smirk.

Every spin uses the whole wheel.

92 emotions on the wheel.

Numbers on the wheel

  1. Joy
  2. Trust
  3. Fear
  4. Surprise
  5. Sadness
  6. Disgust
  7. Anger
  8. Anticipation
  9. Serenity
  10. Acceptance
  11. Apprehension
  12. Distraction
  13. Pensiveness
  14. Boredom
  15. Annoyance
  16. Interest
  17. Ecstasy
  18. Admiration
  19. Terror
  20. Amazement
  21. Grief
  22. Loathing
  23. Rage
  24. Vigilance
  25. Love
  26. Submission
  27. Awe
  28. Disapproval
  29. Remorse
  30. Contempt
  31. Aggressiveness
  32. Optimism
  33. Guilt
  34. Curiosity
  35. Despair
  36. Unbelief
  37. Envy
  38. Cynicism
  39. Pride
  40. Hope
  41. Delight
  42. Sentimentality
  43. Shame
  44. Outrage
  45. Pessimism
  46. Morbidness
  47. Dominance
  48. Anxiety
  49. Bittersweetness
  50. Ambivalence
  51. Frozenness
  52. Confusion
  53. Happy
  54. Content
  55. Relieved
  56. Amused
  57. Grateful
  58. Safe
  59. Comfortable
  60. Affectionate
  61. Reassured
  62. Included
  63. Nervous
  64. Worried
  65. Scared
  66. Overwhelmed
  67. Embarrassed
  68. Startled
  69. Shocked
  70. Stunned
  71. Speechless
  72. Puzzled
  73. Lonely
  74. Homesick
  75. Heartbroken
  76. Discouraged
  77. Nostalgic
  78. Grossed out
  79. Queasy
  80. Appalled
  81. Fed up
  82. Smug
  83. Frustrated
  84. Grumpy
  85. Furious
  86. Resentful
  87. Jealous
  88. Eager
  89. Excited
  90. Impatient
  91. Restless
  92. Determined

Results

  1. 1. Contempt

Tip: the space bar and the Enter key spin the wheel, and so does a tap on the wheel itself. Press again to skip to the result.

Next step A mood passes. Spin the trait that staysDrawing it? Add an art challenge

Emotion Wheel Spinner: how it works

This emotion wheel spinner holds 92 feelings. Fifty-two come from Plutchik's 1980 wheel of emotions: 8 basic emotions, a milder and a stronger form of each, and 28 blends such as awe, envy and hope. Forty more are everyday words like homesick and fed up. Pick a group, spin, and the result card says how the feeling shows on a body.

How this feelings wheel spinner is sorted

Plutchik set eight emotions in a circle: joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness, disgust, anger, anticipation. Each faces its opposite, so joy sits across from sadness and fear from anger. Each runs from mild to strong, as in annoyance, anger, rage. Neighbors blend: joy and trust make love, fear and surprise make awe. The chips follow that map: one family, the 8 basic emotions, the stronger forms, or the 28 blends.

Games for drawing and acting

For an expression sheet, skip choosing each emotion: spin the wheel six times in Elimination and you have one character with six different faces. In an acting warm-up, one player spins in secret and says a flat line such as "the bus is late" in that emotion while the rest guess. Writers can spin a blend and write the scene without naming it: guilt reads as fidgeting and over-explaining, never as the word.

Tips

  • Filter to one family and play its ladder on the same line of dialogue: apprehension, fear, terror.
  • Spin twice and give one character both results. Two feelings that fight, such as relieved and ashamed, carry a scene further than one.
  • New to the model? Tap The 8 basic emotions first. An emotion wheel spin then lands on one of eight large segments.

Questions and answers

What is Plutchik's wheel of emotions?

A model the psychologist Robert Plutchik published in 1980, with eight basic emotions set in a circle the way colors sit on a color wheel. It is one model among several, and researchers still disagree about how many basic emotions exist.

Why is boredom filed under disgust?

The wheel follows Plutchik's theory, not everyday speech. He treated disgust as the urge to reject something, and boredom as that urge at low strength. Blends come from position in the same way: pride is anger plus joy because those two sit two places apart. Each result names the emotions involved, so you can judge the pairing yourself.

Can the wheel tell me what I am feeling?

No. It is a random draw that knows nothing about you, and it does not assess, diagnose or treat anything. It is made for drawing prompts, acting games and story scenes. The list under the wheel may help you find a word, but it is only a vocabulary list.

More like this

Random tool Browse Character Wheels

All 92 emotions

The 8 basic emotions 8

  • Anger Basic emotion, opposite fear. Brows pulled down, a hard stare, lips pressed tight. Plutchik's trigger for it is an obstacle in the way.
  • Anticipation Basic emotion, opposite surprise. Eyes fixed on one spot, body tipped forward, fingers busy. Plutchik tied it to exploring new territory.
  • Disgust Basic emotion, opposite trust. The nose wrinkles, the lip corners drop and the chin pushes up. In Plutchik's theory its job is rejecting something harmful.
  • Fear Basic emotion, opposite anger. Brows raised and pulled together, upper lids lifted, lips stretched sideways, weight shifting back.
  • Joy Basic emotion, opposite sadness. Cheeks lift and the outer corners of the eyes crease. A smile that leaves the eyes alone reads as polite, not happy.
  • Sadness Basic emotion, opposite joy. The inner ends of the brows lift, the lip corners pull down and the gaze drops. Plutchik linked it to loss.
  • Surprise Basic emotion, opposite anticipation. Brows up, eyes wide, jaw dropped. It is short: it turns into something else once the mind catches up.
  • Trust Basic emotion, opposite disgust. Open palms, loose shoulders, leaning in. Plutchik tied it to treating a group member as a friend.

Milder forms 8

  • Acceptance The mild form of trust. A nod, uncrossed arms, letting someone stand close.
  • Annoyance The mild form of anger. A sharp breath out through the nose, an eye roll, clipped words.
  • Apprehension The mild form of fear. A glance at the exit, a held breath, hands that cannot settle.
  • Boredom The mild form of disgust, which surprises most people who look at the wheel. Heavy eyelids, a slumped spine, a long sigh.
  • Distraction The mild form of surprise. Eyes sliding off the speaker, a sentence left unfinished.
  • Interest The mild form of anticipation. Head tilted, brows slightly up, the whole body turned toward the subject.
  • Pensiveness The mild form of sadness. Chin on hand, eyes unfocused, slow answers.
  • Serenity The mild form of joy. A loose jaw, slow breathing and a small closed-mouth smile.

Stronger forms 8

  • Admiration Trust at full strength. Eyes fixed on one person, copying how they stand and talk.
  • Amazement Surprise at full strength. Mouth open, hands to the head, a step backwards.
  • Ecstasy Joy at full strength. Head thrown back, arms wide, a laugh that takes over the whole body.
  • Grief Sadness at full strength. Folded over with shaking shoulders, or completely still and blank.
  • Loathing Disgust at full strength. Lip curled, the whole body recoiling, refusing to look.
  • Rage Anger at full strength. Bared teeth, clenched fists, a voice that cracks.
  • Terror Fear at full strength. Rooted to the spot or bolting, white knuckles, a scream that may not come out.
  • Vigilance Anticipation at full strength. Unblinking, muscles coiled, tracking every sound.

Anticipation family 12

  • Aggressiveness Anger plus anticipation, neighbors on the wheel. Chin forward, stepping into someone's space, looking for the fight.
  • Anxiety Anticipation plus fear, three petals apart: dread of what has not happened yet. Nail biting, pacing, checking the time again.
  • Confusion Surprise plus anticipation, direct opposites. A frown under raised brows, head tilted, a slow "wait".
  • Cynicism Disgust plus anticipation, two petals apart: expecting the worst of people. A dry laugh, folded arms, "of course they did".
  • Determined Anticipation with a plan. A set jaw, sleeves pushed up, eyes on the target and nowhere else.
  • Eager Anticipation with energy. On the edge of the seat, hand up first, nodding before the question ends.
  • Excited Anticipation of something good. Bouncing on the toes, talking fast, grabbing a friend's sleeve.
  • Hope Anticipation plus trust, two petals apart. Looking up, fingers crossed, a careful half smile.
  • Impatient Anticipation that is tired of waiting. A tapping foot, a check of the watch, a sigh at the queue.
  • Optimism Anticipation plus joy, neighbors on the wheel. Chin up, bright eyes, already describing how well it will go.
  • Pessimism Sadness plus anticipation, three petals apart. A shrug before anything has happened: "it will not work anyway".
  • Restless Anticipation with nothing to aim at. Pacing, picking things up and putting them down, changing seats.

Trust family 12

  • Affectionate Trust that reaches out. A nudge with the shoulder, fixing someone's collar, a nickname.
  • Ambivalence Trust plus disgust, direct opposites pulling both ways. A hand half offered, then taken back.
  • Comfortable Mild trust. Slouching, talking with your mouth full, not checking how you look.
  • Curiosity Trust plus surprise, two petals apart. Leaning close, poking at the thing, asking a second question before the first is answered.
  • Dominance Anger plus trust, three petals apart. Standing over others, steady eye contact, speaking last and slowest.
  • Grateful Joy pointed at another person. A hand on the heart, a thank you said twice.
  • Included Trust from a group. Pulled into the circle, a seat saved, laughing at the shared joke.
  • Love Joy plus trust, neighbors on the wheel. Soft eyes, unguarded posture, reaching out without thinking.
  • Reassured Trust handed back after a wobble. A nod, a slower breath, a question that no longer needs asking.
  • Safe Trust in a place, not a person. Shoes off, back to the room, falling asleep easily.
  • Sentimentality Trust plus sadness, three petals apart. A damp smile over an old photo, holding an object a little too long.
  • Submission Trust plus fear, neighbors on the wheel. Lowered eyes, rounded shoulders, doing as told without argument.

Fear family 11

  • Awe Fear plus surprise, neighbors on the wheel. Head tipped back, mouth open, feeling very small in front of something vast.
  • Despair Fear plus sadness, two petals apart. Slack arms, a flat voice, no longer trying the door.
  • Embarrassed A lighter cousin of shame. A blush, a hand over the face, a laugh that comes too fast.
  • Frozenness Fear plus anger, direct opposites: flight against fight. Locked knees, tight fists, nothing moving.
  • Guilt Joy plus fear in Plutchik's scheme, two petals apart: pleasure with a dread of being found out. Fidgeting, over-explaining, avoiding one person.
  • Jealous Fear of losing someone to a rival, with anger on top. Watching two people talk, arms crossed, joining in too loudly.
  • Nervous Mild fear before an event. A bouncing knee, a dry mouth, rereading the same line.
  • Overwhelmed Too much at once. Hands over the ears or eyes, short breaths, a stare at nothing.
  • Scared The everyday word for fear. Wide eyes, a step back, grabbing the nearest arm.
  • Shame Fear plus disgust, three petals apart, turned inward. Head down, shrinking, a hand covering the face or neck.
  • Worried Fear about someone or something else. A creased forehead, a chewed lip, a phone checked every minute.

Surprise family 10

  • Appalled Disgust at what someone did. Mouth open, a hand to the collarbone, leaning away.
  • Delight Joy plus surprise, three petals apart. A gasp that turns into a grin, hands clapping together.
  • Disapproval Surprise plus sadness, neighbors on the wheel. A slow head shake, pressed lips, a look over the top of the glasses.
  • Outrage Surprise plus anger, three petals apart. A sharp intake of breath, then a raised voice and a pointing finger.
  • Puzzled A small surprise that does not resolve. One brow down, one up, a scratch of the head.
  • Shocked Surprise at bad or huge news. A hand over the mouth, a step back, a long silence.
  • Speechless Surprise that takes the words. The mouth opens and closes, a finger goes up, nothing comes out.
  • Startled Surprise with a jolt of fear. A flinch, a sharp breath in, shoulders up to the ears.
  • Stunned Surprise that stops the body. A blank face, slow blinking, the cup still halfway to the mouth.
  • Unbelief Surprise plus disgust, two petals apart. Head pulled back, one eyebrow climbing, a flat "no".

Disgust family 7

  • Contempt Disgust plus anger, neighbors on the wheel. Face coders mark it as a one-sided lip corner pull and dimple: the lopsided smirk.
  • Fed up Boredom and annoyance stacked together. Arms thrown up, a flat "fine", walking out of the room.
  • Grossed out The everyday word for disgust. Tongue out, nose pinched, the plate pushed away.
  • Morbidness Disgust plus joy, three petals apart: a grim fascination. Peeking through your fingers at the thing you said you could not watch.
  • Queasy Disgust felt in the stomach. A hand on the belly, swallowing hard, a slightly green look.
  • Remorse Sadness plus disgust, neighbors on the wheel, aimed at yourself. Unable to meet anyone's eye, hands over the face.
  • Smug Pleased with yourself at someone else's cost. A closed-mouth smile, raised chin, a slow blink.

Sadness family 8

  • Bittersweetness Joy plus sadness, direct opposites on the wheel. A smile with wet eyes: graduations, farewells, last days.
  • Discouraged Sadness after a failed try. Dropped shoulders, tools set down, "what is the point".
  • Envy Sadness plus anger, two petals apart. A fixed smile at someone else's win, then a long look at the prize.
  • Heartbroken Close to grief, over one person. Red eyes, a hand pressed flat to the chest, no appetite.
  • Homesick Sadness for a place. A photo on the phone, a quiet spell at dinner, a bag that never gets unpacked.
  • Lonely Sadness about missing company. Sitting at the edge of the group, watching a door, hugging a knee.
  • Nostalgic A gentle bittersweetness about the past. A far-off smile, a thumb running over an old ticket stub.
  • Resentful Old anger kept warm. A tight jaw, a too-polite voice, help given with a thump.

Anger family 4

  • Frustrated Anger at a thing that will not work. Hands dragged through the hair, a growl, starting over too fast.
  • Furious One step under rage. A red face, a jabbing finger, a voice gone very quiet or very loud.
  • Grumpy Low anger with no target. A frown that stays put, one-word answers, a stomping walk.
  • Pride Anger plus joy in Plutchik's scheme, two petals apart. Chest out, chin lifted, hands on hips, taking up more room.

Joy family 4

  • Amused A small joy at something funny. A snort, a bitten lip, eyes narrowing before the laugh gets out.
  • Content Close to serenity. Leaning back, hands resting, in no hurry to be anywhere else.
  • Happy The everyday word for joy. An easy smile, a lighter step, humming without noticing.
  • Relieved Joy that arrives when a fear ends. A long breath out, shoulders dropping, a hand pressed to the chest.

How this list was compiled: The first 52 entries are Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions (1980) as set out in the English Wikipedia article Emotion classification, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion_classification, checked 2026-09-18: the 8 basic emotions and their four pairs of opposites, the milder and stronger form of each, the 24 blends (dyads) of emotions one, two and three petals apart, and the four blends of direct opposites. Where that article gives two names for one blend, the first is used. The triggers quoted for the basic emotions (loss, an obstacle, a group member, new territory) are from the table in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Plutchik, checked the same day. The face descriptions for joy, sadness, fear, surprise, anger, disgust and contempt follow the action units listed for those emotions at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_Action_Coding_System, checked 2026-09-18. The last 40 entries are everyday feeling words chosen for this site. They are not on Plutchik's chart: filing each one under a family is our own reading, and a word that sits between two families is filed under both. Every posture and gesture note is a drawing and acting prompt written for this site, not a finding. This page is for drawing, acting, writing and classroom talk. It does not assess, diagnose or treat anything. Licence: own work