This list of facial expressions for writers is one of my all-time most popular posts. It came about because I started to list facial expressions in a spiral notebook for my own reference, and then I figured I’d share. A lot of writers keep this page bookmarked!
Writers need good facial expression descriptions in their writing to help the readers picture the characters and to convey emotions. However, it’s easy for us to rely on the same descriptions over and over again. And sometimes in the middle of writing, when we’re trying to find the words to describe an angry expression or a sad expression, we draw a blank.
The expressions are broken down by the part of the face. Note that some of them work for more than one emotion—a person might narrow their eyes out of vindictiveness or skepticism, for instance, and their face might turn red out of anger or out of embarrassment. Some of them require a little more explanation on your part. You’ll have to say what she’s glaring at, or if his face is contorting in rage, or grief, or what. And not all of these will work for every character. In many cases I’ve given several ways to describe the same thing. While I have included some longer phrases, they are not proprietary and it’s fine to use them.
Some of these aren’t exactly words to describe facial expressions, but they’re useful for dialogue tags. In fact, I started this list in a notebook for myself as a reference so I would stop using “he said” and “she said” so often…and as any editor or writing coach will tell you, just using tons of synonyms for “said” does not solve this problem; it makes it worse! By using a facial expression as a dialogue tag, you can also convey the tone of voice.
Here’s the facial expressions list. You might want to pin it for future reference!
Ways to Describe Expressions Related to the Eyes and Eyebrows
his eyes widened
their eyes went round
her eyelids drooped
his eyes narrowed
his eyes lit up
his eyes darted
he squinted
she blinked
her eyes twinkled
his eyes gleamed
her eyes sparkled
his eyes flashed
her eyes glinted
his eyes burned with…
her eyes blazed with…
her eyes sparked with…
her eyes flickered with…
_____ glowed in his eyes
the corners of his eyes crinkled
she rolled her eyes
he looked heavenward
she glanced up to the ceiling
she winked
tears filled her eyes
his eyes welled up
her eyes swam with tears
his eyes flooded with tears
her eyes were wet
their eyes glistened
tears shimmered in her eyes
tears shone in his eyes
her eyes were glossy
he was fighting back tears
tears ran down her cheeks
his eyes closed
she squeezed her eyes shut
he shut his eyes
his lashes fluttered
she batted her lashes
his brows knitted 
her forehead creased
his forehead furrowed
her forehead puckered
a line appeared between their brows
his brows drew together
her brows snapped together
his eyebrows rose
she raised a brow
he lifted an eyebrow
his eyebrows waggled
she gave him a once-over
he sized her up
her eyes bored into him
she took in the sight of…
he glared
she peered
he gazed
she glanced
he stared
she scrutinized
he studied
she gaped
he observed
she surveyed
he gawked
he leered
his pupils (were) dilated
her pupils were huge
his pupils flared
Ways to Describe Expressions Related to the Nose
her nose crinkled
his nose wrinkled
she sneered
his nostrils flared
she stuck her nose in the air
he sniffed
she sniffled
Ways to Describe Expressions Related to the Mouth
she smiled
he smirked
she grinned
he simpered
she beamed
her mouth curved into a smile
the corners of his mouth turned up
the corner of her mouth quirked up
a corner of his mouth lifted
his mouth twitched
he gave a half-smile
she gave a lopsided grin
his mouth twisted 
he plastered a smile on his face
she forced a smile
he faked a smile
their smile faded
his smile slipped
he pursed his lips
she pouted
his mouth snapped shut
her mouth set in a hard line
he pressed his lips together
she bit her lip
he drew his lower lip between his teeth
she nibbled on her bottom lip
he chewed on his bottom lip
his jaw set
her jaw clenched
his jaw tightened
a muscle in her jaw twitched
he ground his jaw
he snarled/his lips drew back in a snarl
her mouth fell open
his jaw dropped
her jaw went slack
he gritted his teeth
she gnashed her teeth
her lower lip trembled
his lower lip quivered
Ways to Describe Reactions Related to the Skin
she paled
he blanched
she went white
the color drained out of his face
his face reddened
her cheeks turned pink
his face flushed
she blushed
he turned red
she turned scarlet
he turned crimson
a flush crept up her face
Ways to Describe Expressions Having to Do With the Whole Face
he screwed up his face
she scrunched up her face
they grimaced
she winced
she gave him a dirty look
he frowned
she scowled
he glowered
her whole face lit up
she brightened
his face went blank
her face contorted
his face twisted
her expression closed up
his expression dulled
her expression hardened
she went poker-faced
a vein popped out in his neck
awe transformed his face
fear crossed her face
sadness clouded his features
terror overtook his face
recognition dawned on her face
~
It may seem a little obsessive to list facial expressions, but there’s almost nothing I like better than making lists! I have many more lists like this in my book Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More. I think it’s a great tool for making “show don’t tell” easier and for inspiration during every part of the writing process. Check it out!
Thank you so much for reading, and happy writing!
Excellent resource for shaking me out of my ruts. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks so much! So glad it seems useful!
Reblogged this on Am Felicia. Felicia Looi. and commented:
useful! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing! So glad it’s helpful!
Great post, Bryn. I’ve been using The Emotion Thesaurus, but this list gives me more fuel for those exasperating times when I need an action beat and can’t think of anything new to say.
Reblogged this on Shaven Wookiee and commented:
Win… 😉
Reblogged this on AUTHOR JENNIFER LOISKE and commented:
OMG! I have to re-blog this one since this list is awesome! Thank you!
Ah thank you very much! Thanks for sharing!
Use the body language, too, as this says a lot. Frex, shoulders can droop, a body can go suddenly rigid, hands can shake, fists can clench, feet can kick at some inanimate object, chests can twitch with suppressed laughter, arms can flex to show strength, only don’t overuse the latter. I have just been lau…reading some of the reviews on that ill-written BDSM grey thing and there are enough overuses there for an ordinary reader to pick up effortlessly. Also curtail blushes, flushes for the same reasons.
Absolutely! I did a follow-up post on gestures and body language. 🙂
This is going to be really handy! Thank you!
Stori Tori’s Blog
Reblogged this on Elisha's Writing and commented:
Awesome list of facial expressions for writers 😀
Awesome! Thanks. Will reblog to my blog marionueckermann.com
Reblogged this on Marion Ueckermann ~ Author.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Reblogged this on To My Imagination and Beyond and commented:
For future writers, aspiring authours, and word lovers in general, a helpful guide to describing facial expressions.
Very flattered that you shared this, thanks!
As an author who always says “he looked at me with X,” this was incredibly helpful! Thank you for the inspiration! Time to put these new phrases to use!
Reblogged this on Save The Last Dance and commented:
This is an exceptional list.
Thank you so much! 🙂
You’re quite welcome. I loved the list and I will be using it extensively.
This is an invaluable gem you provided here, Bryn. Thank you so much
So sorry, I thought I responded to this! I really appreciate the kind words. 🙂
Reblogged this on Blackston Lake Saga and commented:
Terrific way to charge the senses and spice it up…
I meant to say this much sooner, but thank for for reblogging!
Reblogged this on writewithkelly and commented:
I was quietly reflecting this morning and just glancing at Pinterest (yeah, right!) and found this wonderful blog post. I found it so useful I wanted to share it with you my readers and encourage you to share it with other writers. Thanks Bryn! I’m sure a lot of us will find this useful!
Thank you so much for the kind words, and thank you for reblogging, too!
Reblogged this on Prophecy Six and commented:
Oh my Gods, yes! I needed a list like this. Thank you!
Aww, thank you for reblogging! I’m so glad you liked it.
Great post!
Thank you so much for making this list I found it really helpful and interesting. I know for sure this will help me write. 🙂
At the bottom of the page I noticed that you mentioned your writing a book coming out with more master lists. I would be really interested in buying a copy do you know when the book will be released and will it be available in the UK?
Thank you again really love your posts.
I’m so glad this was helpful, and I really appreciate the kind words! 🙂
The book is coming out in October, and yes, it will be available in the UK! It’s coming out as an ebook for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, and Kobo. It will also be available in paperback on Amazon.
Thank you for replying I’m really looking forward to buying it 🙂
I was stuck on disbelief for the hero’s expression, but it just wasn’t quite right. So, thank you so much. I’ll look out for your book. Fabulous that it will be in ebook as well.
Oh thanks Louise, and thanks for reblogging! I’m so glad it helped!
Reblogged this on Louise Forster.
This has helped me greatly! Thank you so much=)
~Sarah from sarahssword.blogspot.com
Location is one issue that should be thought-about in the selections of
a discovery day samui villas hire-roll villa.
This will go a long way towards convincing people my characters actually HAVE faces. Thank you so much for putting this list together!
Oh my goodness, that made me laugh! I have the same problem, especially in the first draft stage 🙂
Wow, thanks for putting this together. That was probably no small task. I’m going to use this during editing when I catch myself being repetitive. It’ll be very helpful! Thanks so much 🙂
So glad it seems helpful! I first started the list for myself because my characters were doing the same things too often ?
Reblogged this on kuhlreads.
Such fun and yet so valuable finding this gem. I so frequently find myself struggling with new ways to say he smiled, etc. And I’ve published four books. See, you can teach an old dog new tricks. 🙂 I’ll echo what somebody else said, thank you for taking the time to put this valuable info out into cyberspace
Ah thank you Robert! Glad you found it useful! 🙂
Reblogged this on J.A. Stinger.
Reblogged this on Kim's Author Support Blog.
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
In case you missed this great list from Bryn 😀
Reblogged this on Cup Of Tea.
Reblogged this on Writer's Treasure Chest and commented:
I think this is a very helpful and useful list of facial expression. A “must read” for every author, provided by Bryn Donovan. Thank you very much Bryn.
Reblogged this on Rachael Ritchey and commented:
Sometimes you just need a little nudge to get the right words. 🙂
Hi
I wasn’t sure how to properly contact you so I’m going this route 🙂
I have to admit, you have literally saved me from writers’ block with your book, Master Lists for Writers, and I like your style – using LGBT friendly options in some lists is one of my favourite things. Since I’ve been having trouble with my current novel project, Master Lists has been very helpful in working out my character dynamics, dialogue and plotting devices.
Thank you for saving me from writers’ block!
~ R.A. McCabe
Reblogged this on Wyrdwend.
Reblogged this on TheKingsKidChronicles and commented:
A master list of facial expressions. Great help for writers when we’re experience brain freeze for something new and fresh.
This is beyond helpful. I never even thought of most, thanks!
Aww thanks, so glad you like it!
Reblogged this on Coffee and Bookaholics and commented:
Useful tips for writing – facial expressions
Add me as well to the list of people who are boggling over this riudculois change. I can barely type this message even know, as I struggle with the new layout.Who designed this this layout? What fool? I’d rather not unlearn 25 years of typing because someone put switching languages ahead of standard layout.
Thanks for the added expressions. I’ve found the list very helpful and now with the update it will be even more useful.
Hello Bryn, I have four finished manuscripts, the first is at the publishers. I am in the process of final re-writes, and have just stumbles across your blog. I have saved your lists of suggestions for dialogue, descriptive words etc. Do you have a printable version of these lists? Thanks for blog. Richard.
Hi R.J.! So glad you found my blog 🙂
Congratulations on four finished manuscripts, woo hoo! That is awesome!
Sorry to say I don’t have a printable version of the lists,
though they are in the Master Lists for Writers book along with a bunch more lists.
Thanks so much for the kind words, and thanks for reading!
Hello again Bryn, don’t be too taken by the four manuscripts. I wrote the first one thirty years ago and it has been languishing on a shelf gathering dust since then, except for the odd excursion to several publishers where it was rejected. I rescued number one and it is now with the publisher for the first edit.
I take on board your answer regarding printable lists. As for your book, is it available in the UK?
Thanks for your swift reply. Much appreciated. Richard.
R.J., four manuscripts is impressive no matter what. That’s what I think, anyway!
I actually tried to make a printable version of one of the lists, come to think of it, but it didn’t come out well and people complained! And yes, Master Lists for Writers is available in the UK, in print and for Kindle. 🙂
Love this! I can’t be the only writer whose characters smile too much — to the point of creepiness! Thank you for sharing this.
Hahaha! Well my characters were nodding so much, they were like bobbleheads. 😀 Glad you like it, Karoline!
Flipped through the sample chapters of the Master List book at Amazon and ordered. Looks awesome. Thank you!
Hi Tamara! Oh, I’m so glad you think it looks useful. Thank you so much!
This is such an awesome post! I’ve come back to least at least a hundred times during my writing! Absolutely LOVE these descriptions… really helpful! Thank you!
Great list, I’ve seen others but this is more complete than most. Using some distinctions I picked up in Russian (which splits verbs into more complexity than English) I break my stage direction terms (as I call them) into verb, verb + adverb combos, nouns and adjectives, for the face, body, hands, and other parts. Here’s a slice showing how I organized things:
Hands:
Communicating/Reacting: squeezed/tightened/balled/clenched (+un) into fists, held up, open, closed around, wrap around, palmed, enclose, throw hands up, raise (as in classroom), behind ear(s) (can’t hear you/louder)
Emotive/gesture: dismissive wave, wave hello/goodbye, shaking, grip, raise, gesture, gesticulate, shake (nerves), claw, rubbed together, brushed against, make a sign, spread, hug/hugging herself, clasped together, pressed, locked, frozen, covering eyes/nose/ears, pressed to cheeks, wave at, beckon, toying with something, open/close
Location: on hip(s), in lap, on table, in pockets, in sleeves, around x’s neck, in someone else’s hand(s), in the air, grasping, holding a thing, beating on door/someone’s chest, in armpits, in pants, behind back, behind head, behind neck, holding elbows, holding belt/holster, hands on hips/holster/hilt/belt/belt buckle
How they are/how they got there: shoved in, jammed in, laid on, fall, slid, hang (down, from, into), dangle, limp, tense, tight, tense, held out, offered, extended (to), extended (outward), trembling, shaking
Great list! I just got your book off Amazon and I am so excited to use it.
Thank you so much for this list. My quest to add more debt to my characters has ended.
Aw thanks for the kind words, Naomi! Glad it’s helpful. 🙂
You’re a life saver!!! This was really helpful!! Since english is not my mother language, I struggle trying to find the right expressions for my characters, but thanks to you it’s gonna be a lot more easier now 🙂
Hi Cindy! Even for native English speakers, it can be hard to remember different ways to word things, and I can’t imagine how difficult it would be as a non-native speaker. So glad this is helpful!
Thank you. Bryn. A great addition to my writing toolbox.
So glad it was helpful, Chris!
so kind of you help me with these words. really stuck with those cliches. thanks
Hi Sushant! So glad it was helpful!
Thxs.So that I can improve my story writing and english proficiency.
Thxs.So that I can improve the writing skills proficiency.
Hey, thanks for posting. This is great!
Thanks Keith, so glad you like it!
hey bryn! could you help me with reading fast? it takes me weeks to finish a 300 page novel.
Hi Sushant! I would if I could, but honestly, I have no idea how to help someone read faster! It’s okay if it takes some time, though… as long as you’re enjoying it!
Hi, Sushant! I would help if I could, but honestly, I don’t know how a person can increase their reading speed. Hey, some people don’t read a book for years at a time, so you’re way ahead of them!
If there is one thing I can say, these lists have definitely helped expand my writing capabilities. I was a fairly good writer before, a slight cut above the rest, people always asking me to write to write some sort of story for them (usually a Fan-Fic type of thing) after reading my works. But the thing I always ended up struggling with– descriptions. I could give you a fairly good description of anything, but describing PEOPLE. Oh man, oh man. That was what got me. Now that I’m working on my first novel to actually publish on Amazon instead of letting everything be a free-to-read on different websites, I figured I should step up my game. I’ve bought your book (on Amazon) and let me just say that I definitely love it and I feel like it will help me get through the trial and errors of my own writing. I would be lying if I didn’t say that my first four characters were made almost entirely by looking through your lists and finding the words that accurately described what I saw in my head. Big thank you to you, Bryn, for making this!
Hi, Emma! I am so glad this is helpful, and thank you so much for the kind words! I am in the exact same boat as you… I always found it easier to describe things than people. I started making these lists for my own benefit 🙂 and then I thought, Hey, I should share these. Thank you very much for buying my book, and I am so glad you like it!
Hi Bryn, I just found your blog after looking for a decent resource to help me improve my descriptive writing. I’ve been writing off and on the last 15 years but have never finished a whole novel because I usually got stuck and then gave up and things never went anywhere. But I’ve recently seriously started working on a project which I’ve had in my mind for the last few years, which I believe has alot of potential. I also hope to turn it into a series . But during the last week I’ve been engrossed in a book I’m currently reading and have realised I need alot of work to improve in the area of descriptive writing. So a few nights ago while I was writing a scene in the book I’m working on I got stuck so I google how to describe facial exspression. I knew what I wanted to describe but had trouble thinking of words to use as I didn’t want it to sound cliched. And then I found your blog, which was amazingly helpful and I finally got what I needed to do. I still need alot of practice but this list has really put me in the right direction. I’ve even printed it out to add to my reference collection for future use.
Thank you once again
THANK JESUS FOR THIS!!! I’ve been googling about different kinds of expressions for months!! You’re my answered prayer! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!
Oh my goodness… you’re welcome! I have one for body language and gestures, too, and one for physical descriptions. 🙂 So glad it’s helpful!
This is so helpful! I always end up making up the same expressions for all the carachters and well you know that is not so good..! I couldnt find anything about jestures and body language, I ended up at the same things I was already writing about! I can’t believe you put all these together! 🙂 Good work!
I want more Please…
Thank you!! I will definitely use this list.
Thank you so much for this lovely lovely blog. Its a lifesaver for writers. All I can say is…God bless you <3
A character in “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd“ was described as having “pinched lips and an acid smile”
Cracks me up every time
Dang, I like that!
woah!…that moves me
Thank you so, so much. I draw a blank when it comes to writing, especially with dialogue and mentioning features… and everything else. This really helped me!
I’m currently writing my first novel, I don’t really know how and where to start. This is so helpful! Thank you! ❤️
Even with all these great ideas for language, I’m having trouble describing the way people slap a hand to their cheek when their mouth has dropped open after someone has said something shocking. This is too wordy!
What an extensive list! Way to go girl. I’m grinning from ear to ear. Nancy Andres, author of “Colors of Joy: A Woman’s Guide for Self-Discovery, Balance, and Bliss.”
Your blog couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I have written and published several books, but after be struck with an illness, then the loss of my husband, I just stopped writing for several years. I am now writing again, but your blog has given me inspiration for new plots and for honing my own skills. Thank you very much. Sue Rich
Thank you, this hit the spot.
Thanks a bunch for this post!:) In sweden we say ”he hit down his gaze (eg at/on the table)” meaning he submissively looked down (at the table). Is there a similar frase in english?
here is all that i had been looking for since months….splendid job Bryn!!
Hey! Thanks alot for such an amazing vocab.It describes facial expressions perfectly and anybody can fell the pain or happiness when they come across these words.Your efforts are worth of praise .
Thank you very much this is so helpul.
Hello Bryan! Thank you so much, this is very helpful. I can’t help but to smile while reading your list. Those words, it really caught my attention.
Great list, exstremely helpful thanks.
Lovely list – very useful . So kind of you to share your knowledge.
Thank you, so much! Good job, keep it up.
I would definitely buy the book/list if it were sorted by emotion.
Exactly what I need, thanks!
Thank you for existing and sharing this
These facial expressions were very useful to me. Thank you for sharing this.
PS. You are very beautiful.
Thank you very much for this!! This list is very helpful!!!
This is absolutely wonderful and I thank you so much for making this! The perfectionist in me wants it sorted by general emotion, though…X’D
Hey, thank you! And I know what you mean. I tried to organize them like that at first, but then it bothered me because there was a lot of overlap (some expressions work for more than one emotion.) I’m glad you liked the post!
Thank you very much i have been looking to improve my english
I just saw a very stupid “list of things you shouldn’t do in fiction writing” video and one of them was “Thou shalt not describe your characters’ eyes, expressions or eye movements.” Very weird. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing. Thank you for sharing this.
So…tell, don’t show? Haha. That’s bananas. 🙂
Thanks a lot Bryn !?, I’ve been planning to write a fantasy novel since school, and ” show don’t tell” was giving me nightmares , especially since English is foreign language for me, this helped a lot!! .lots of love.
You have done it again Bryn. Thanks again from down under
Warren Stainless Steel
So glad you liked the list!
Wish I could see it ?
Weird—I don’t know why you can’t! I haven’t heard this from anyone else.
I loved it. thank you so much. I’m trying to be a writer but I struggle for their emotions. This helps me a lot.
The whispering of the harsh wind tore my mind. Hard, moss green eyes with thick eyelashes stared from the pale shadows. Heavy eyelashes gleaned camouflage from their meager surroundings. Veiled skin wreathed in dark colours. Sculpted face. Hawk-like nose. Fine platinum hair wisping out behind. Taut body fragile with frost. Elegant hands tremble. She seemed barely old, yet her eyes tell stories of years gone by.
Dark trees hush the wind.
Slowly, she steps forth. She is young, I realize. Young. Too young.
My blood curls, warmth frozen until I am as cold as her still corpse.
She is one of us.
One of the dangerous ones.
I turn and run.
The wind starts again, dragging me to her shadowy embrace.
Dragging me to death.
My crazed expression must look strange.
Then she strikes. And I scream.
My world ends.
Thanks. Your suggestions really helped me write this prologue. (I think prologues help to explain why a three-year-old can talk to cats…)
Please don’t copy/draw from/ talk about/ comment about this prologue.
Amazine prologue I am intrigued!
Your book has been so helpful. I write horror and mystery fiction and your book transcends to multiple genres. Thank you!
thanks for this list, it does helps when your expressions used are limited.
You missed a good one for your “mouth” category.
This is really wonderful, but it would be awesome if you also divided them up by emotion rather than portion of the face :DD
meh
One has to wonder what was the point of this comment. If it really was Meh, there would be no reason for you to say so. Just walk away.
Unless the comment was meant to affect the writer, in which case, a more lengthy discourse on what they didn’t do that would have been more helpful for you.
Plus, should you have indicated what could have been done better to help you, it would have been added to the discourse for those of us who read the comments, and might also have found the extra information helpful to us as well.
(AND, I am aware that this post is marked Anonymous.)
Thank you for this!
Love this list its so helpful I really love writing stories. This has helped me allot.
This is really good
Wow, I just love all of these! There are so many good ones it blows my mind trying to think which one I should use, sometimes I just want to use them all! Thanks so much, Ms. Donovan, for sharing this with writers like me who need some help with the description. It is very helpful, especially because it’s free and not everyone can afford books. 🙂 If I ever write a book, for me, it wouldn’t be weird but add you in the dedications. LOL. Thanks!
As a first-time writer and not writing in my native language, your book has really helped me nail down my characters’ emotions. I would recommend anyone who is starting as a writer to get a copy of your book.
Hi, Malin! It’s great to hear from you. I am SO glad the book is helpful! Thanks for the kind words, and good luck with your writing!
Hello Bryn,
I am in the process of writing a science fiction novel. I have been working on it off and on since 2008. It’s big! and I have written a thousand pages. My daughter, who is also an aspiring writer, said I should make it a trilogy. But how to break it down and put in the best information. I certainly want it to be great!
Anyway, your list of expressions has helped me very much, so I have decided to purchase your Master Lists for Writers book. I purchased it in both formats — hard copy and Kindle. Thank you for this post about facial expressions.
Hi Thea! How exciting that you’re writing a scifi epic! If it’s over 120,000 words, which it sound like it is, then yes, you might want to split it up. You’ll want to make sure that the ending of each book really feels like a satisfying ending–like something big is resolved–even if the story continues. I’m so glad the Master Lists for Writers book is helpful! Thanks for the kind words!
This was helpful, thanks.
ys
This is such a helpful post that I will be referring back to often. Thank you for compiling it!
This is exactly what I needed! English is my second language so my vocabulary for describtive writing is very limited. Thank you so much for this!
Half responding because my name is also Bryn, and I never find it spelled with only one ‘n’ like mine. Thank you for this post, I think it will be a great resource moving forward!
Dearest Bryn,
More blessings for you & your family!
I wish to be a good writer, & because of your generosity, I might be..
I’m from the Philippines, & English is my second language.
I’m already 71 years old, hoping & praying to live longer, I wish that my readers will find joy in reading my stories, mostly love stories
Sincerely Yours,
Ester Garampil