Mind & Emotions
Hit a nerve
To say or do something that provokes a strong emotional reaction because it touches a sensitive or painful subject.
Have a chip on your shoulder
To carry a lasting grievance or sense of being unfairly treated, often making someone defensive, touchy or ready to take offense. It is more than a momentary irritation.
Be at sixes and sevens
To be confused, disorganized or in a state of disorder, with people or plans lacking coordination. Can describe either mental confusion or a chaotic situation.
Go with the flow
To accept things as they happen naturally.
Get real
To face facts and stop dreaming.
You live and learn
Said when learning something surprising from experience.
Wipe the slate clean
To forget past mistakes and make a fresh start.
Under pressure
In a state of stress or urgency.
Sick to death
Thoroughly tired of something unpleasant.
Pain in the neck
An annoying person or thing.
Red-handed
In the act of doing something wrong.
Make peace with
To accept a difficult situation or reconcile.
Lose one's cool
To become angry or upset suddenly.
Jump for joy
To express intense happiness.
Keep a stiff upper lip
To show courage and not demonstrate emotion in trouble.
In high spirits
In a cheerful and lively mood.
Head over heels
Madly in love with someone.
Have a change of heart
To change one's opinion or attitude towards something.
Castles in the air
Unrealistic plans or hopes that are unlikely to happen.
Feather in one's cap
An achievement that one can be proud of.
At one's wit's end
Completely puzzled or at a loss as to what to do next.
Think outside the box
To think creatively in an unconventional way.
English Idioms for the Mind and Emotional States
English has many idioms for describing thoughts, mental states, attitudes, and emotional reactions. Some focus on what is happening in someone’s mind — thinking, remembering, deciding, or understanding — while others describe how a person feels or reacts emotionally.
The Mind & Emotions category brings together expressions that sit at the intersection of thought and feeling. This includes idioms for mental states, attitudes, reactions, confusion, confidence, worry, and emotional responses.
Idioms About Thoughts and the Mind
English uses many idiomatic expressions to talk about thinking, remembering, considering something, changing one’s mind, or trying to understand an idea.
Expressions such as these often use concrete images to describe an abstract mental process. Their literal wording can therefore be quite different from what they actually mean.
Idioms About Emotional States and Reactions
Other expressions describe a person’s emotional state or reaction: happiness, frustration, nervousness, anger, surprise, worry, embarrassment, or feeling overwhelmed.
The choice of idiom can communicate not only the emotion itself but also its intensity and tone. Some expressions are everyday and conversational, while others are more expressive or informal.
Where Mind and Emotions Overlap
Thought and emotion are not always easy to separate in English idioms. An expression may describe both a mental process and an emotional response — for example, being unable to stop thinking about something, changing one’s attitude, or becoming overwhelmed by a feeling.
This overlap is one reason why some idioms can reasonably belong to more than one category.
How Mind & Emotions Idioms Are Used
Context is particularly important with these expressions. Two idioms may refer to a similar mental or emotional state but differ in intensity, formality, or the type of situation in which they sound natural.
Example sentences help show not only what an idiom means, but how native speakers actually use it.
Mind & Emotions Idioms in Other Languages
An English idiom about thoughts or emotions may have a natural equivalent in Russian, Spanish, or French, but the equivalent may use a completely different image.
Akcento compares idioms by meaning and usage rather than translating them word for word. This makes it possible to see how different languages express similar mental and emotional experiences in different ways.
Explore Mind & Emotions Idioms
Browse this category to discover English expressions related to thoughts, attitudes, mental states, feelings, reactions, and the ways people respond to what happens around them.
Frequently asked questions
What are Mind & Emotions idioms in English?
They are idiomatic expressions used to describe thoughts, mental states, attitudes, feelings, and emotional reactions.
What is the difference between Mind & Emotions and Emotion & Feelings?
The Mind & Emotions category has a broader focus on the relationship between thought and feeling. It includes mental processes, attitudes, and reactions as well as emotions, while Emotion & Feelings focuses more directly on emotional states and feelings.
Are Mind & Emotions idioms common in everyday English?
Many are. English speakers regularly use idioms to talk about what they are thinking, how they feel, and how they react to situations. However, individual expressions vary in frequency and formality.
Do English Mind & Emotions idioms have equivalents in other languages?
Often they do, but natural equivalents may use completely different imagery. Akcento compares English idioms with natural equivalents in Russian, Spanish, and French rather than relying on literal translations.