PSAT 8/9 vocabulary: emotion and feeling.

feeling frightened or worried about potential danger

Residents were alarmed by the sudden increase in crime rates, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueAn alarm makes your heart jump; alarmed means frightened or worried by possible danger.

causing laughter or providing entertainment

The comedian told an amusing story about his childhood, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueAn amusing act puts laughter in the audience and turns boredom into entertainment.

full of life or excitement; lively

The animated discussion lasted for hours, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueAn animated speaker seems powered by lively motion and excitement.

gathered together; calm and composed

Despite the chaos, she remained calm and collected, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueCollected items gather in one basket; a collected person gathers their emotions and stays calm.

providing solace or reassurance

Her comforting words helped ease his anxiety, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueA warm blanket around a worried child is comforting because it offers solace and reassurance.

a matter of interest or importance; worry

Safety is our primary concern during the renovation, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueA concern sits under a spotlight because it matters, while a worry cloud hangs above it.

causing worry; relating to

The doctor found some concerning symptoms during the examination, revealing how strongly the experience affected the people involved in the situation.

Memory cueA concerning sign flashes a warning light; concerning can also mean relating to that subject.

matters of interest or worry

She raised several concerns about the proposed budget cuts, revealing how strongly the experience affected the people involved in the situation.

Memory cueConcerns are important matters stored in a folder beneath a small cloud of worry.

in a state of peaceful happiness

She felt content with her simple life, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueA content person rests peacefully beside a full needs gauge.

pulled or attracted; depicted with lines; looking strained or tired

She was drawn to the mysterious painting hanging in the gallery, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueA magnet pulls, a pencil sketches, and a tired face tightens: three images for drawn.

intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval

Her enthusiasm for the project was contagious and motivated the entire team, revealing how strongly the experience affected the people involved in the situation.

Memory cueEnthusiasm is a bright inner engine of eager interest and enjoyment.

very enthusiastic and eager; emotionally aroused

The children were excited about their upcoming trip to the amusement park, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueAn excited person is a shaken bottle of eager energy ready to burst.

a feeling of curiosity about something; a quality that attracts attention

She developed an interest in astronomy after visiting the planetarium, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueInterest is a curiosity magnet that pulls attention toward a subject.

arousing curiosity or interest; fascinating

The detective found an intriguing clue at the scene, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueAn intriguing locked box pulls curiosity toward its unanswered question.

offering the promise of pleasure or satisfaction; attractive and tempting

The cozy fireplace and soft chairs made the room very inviting, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueAn inviting doorway glows warmly and promises pleasure inside.

found agreeable or enjoyable; had affection for

Everyone liked the new employee because of her friendly attitude, revealing how strongly the experience affected the people involved in the situation.

Memory cueA bright heart beside the object shows it was found agreeable and liked.

sad because of having no friends or company; isolated

Living alone in the countryside made her feel lonely at times, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueOne empty chair beside a solitary person captures the sadness of being lonely.

easily agitated or anxious; relating to the nerves

She felt nervous before her first job interview, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueA nervous figure trembles while alarm signals race along visible nerves.

resentful or annoyed due to a perceived insult

He felt offended by the remark about his work ethic, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueAn insult arrow striking a respect shield leaves the person offended and resentful.

overcome completely in mind or feeling; buried beneath a huge mass

She felt overwhelmed by the amount of work she had to complete, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueA person buried beneath a mountain of tasks and feelings is overwhelmed.

showing strong feelings or beliefs

She gave a passionate speech about equality, revealing how strongly the experience affected the people involved in the situation.

Memory cueA passionate belief glows with a strong inner fire.

to feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over something that has happened or been done

I regret not spending more time with my grandparents, revealing how strongly the experience affected the people involved in the situation.

Memory cueRegret looks backward at a past action beneath a cloud of sadness and disappointment.

giving fulfillment or pleasure; meeting expectations

Completing the marathon was an incredibly satisfying achievement, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueA satisfying result fills both the needs gauge and the pleasure gauge.

quick to detect or respond to slight changes; easily offended or upset

This is a sensitive topic that requires careful discussion, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueA sensitive detector reacts to one feather; a sensitive person reacts strongly to slight hurts.

an unexpected event; to cause someone to feel astonishment

The party was a complete surprise to the birthday girl, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueA box opening to an unexpected sight creates surprise.

causing astonishment or wonder; unexpected

It was surprising to learn that he had never traveled abroad, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueA surprising event jumps from an unopened box before anyone expects it.

long, slow, and tiresome; boring due to length or monotony

The tedious task of filing paperwork took the entire afternoon, shaping the mood of the group as the events continued to unfold.

Memory cueA tedious task repeats the same slow step along an extremely long road.

liable to change rapidly and unpredictably

His volatile temper made negotiations difficult, revealing how strongly the experience affected the people involved in the situation.

Memory cueA volatile gauge swings suddenly and unpredictably from calm to explosive.

feeling or showing anxiety or unease about actual or potential problems

The worried parents waited anxiously for news of their missing child, making the emotional response visible to everyone who witnessed the interaction.

Memory cueA worried mind circles a possible problem beneath an anxiety cloud.