17 Handy Negative Words to Describe Facial Expressions

Your character frowns… a lot. You know that’s not the only word you could use when you want to describe them as angry or upset, right?

Of course it’s not!

Here is a whole bunch of other words you could use and if you want something positive to describe them instead, check out these 12 Handy Positive Words to Describe Facial Expressions.

1. agonized – in pain (physical or psychological), tormented
2. bleak – a grim, hopeless expression
3. brooding – looking as if you are thinking and worrying about something; anxious, gloomy
4. cheerless – sad, disappointed
5. dejected – gloomy, depressed
6. despondent – low-spirited, hopeless
7. doleful – sad, mournful, sorrowful
8. downcast – when a character’s gaze isdownwards because they feel sad and/or embarrassed
9. glowering – angry, annoyed
10. grave – looking sad and serious
11. haunted – a character appearshaunted when they are frightened and/or worried
12. pained – a pained expression would show on your character’s face when they are reallyunhappy
13. peeved – your character will look peeved when someone/something irritated them
14. sardonic – mocking; a sardonic expression shows a lack of respect for the other characters or what they are doing/saying
15. sullen – unhappy and often without the desire to socialize
16. wan – reallysad
17. wolfish – if a character has a wolfish look, they might want tohurt someone or trick them into a sexual encounter, or to cheat them out of their money; think of a rapacious person, who is prepared to get they want at the expense of others and maybe even taking pleasure in tricking others

Some of the other lists I plan to post:

• neutral facial expressions
• facial expressions while flirting/seducing a character

Do you know any other words that fit into this list?

Share them in the comments and I’ll add them to the post and give you credit!

If you want to request a list on a particular topic, you can do so in the comments.

Other lists:

• 12 Handy Positive Words to Describe Facial Expressions
• 33 Ways to Describe Your Character’s Voice
• 40 Words to Describe Your Character’s Eyes
• 47 Ways for Your Characters to Walk
• 31 Words to Use Instead of Very
• 20 Words to Use Instead of Nice
• Is Harry Potter’s Fear a Phobia? A List of Phobias to Include in Your Book

Do you know any other words that fit into this list?

Share them in the comments where you can also request a list on a particular topic.

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