Words Used To Describe Facial Expression In Performance
Here is a list of words I have compiled that will assist students of drama and theatre to describe facial expressions used by actors in performance. Often as part of their coursework, students need to analyse the play making process of a piece of their own work or evaluate a performance by themselves or others. Questions about the use of facial expressions by performers can also appear in written examinations.
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| absent | evil-looking | pained |
| aggressive | exasperated | paranoid |
| agonised | exhausted | peeved |
| alluring | faint | perpelexed |
| almond | fake | petulant |
| angry | fixed | piercing |
| anxious | frustrated | pitying |
| apologetic | full | pleading |
| appealing | furrowed | pouting |
| bashful | furtive | prudish |
| beaming | gazing | puckered |
| befuddled | gentle | pursed |
| black | glancing | puzzled |
| blank | glaring | quizzical |
| bleak | glazed | radiant |
| blissful | glowing | regretful |
| blithe | grave | relieved |
| blue-eyed | grieving | roguish |
| bored | grim | round |
| brooding | grimace | sad |
| brown-eyed | guilty | sardonic |
| bug-eyed | happy | satisfied |
| bulging | hard | scornful |
| calculating | haunted | scowl |
| cautious | haunting | searching |
| chagrined | heart-shaped | set |
| cheeky | honest | shamefaced |
| cheerful | hopeless | sheepish |
| cheerless | horrified | shocked |
| choleric | hostile | slanting |
| cold | hot | sly |
| compassionate | hunted | small |
| composed | hurt | smile |
| concealed | hysterical | smug |
| concentrating | idiotic | somber |
| confident | impassive | sorrowful |
| cool | indifferent | squinty |
| coy | innocent | straight-faced |
| crestfallen | inscrutable | sullen |
| curious | interested | surly |
| dark | jeering | surprised |
| deadpan | joyful | sympathetic |
| deceitful | languid | taunting |
| dejected | leering | taut |
| demure | lonely | tear-filled |
| derisive | lovestruck | tense |
| despondent | masked | thick |
| determined | meaningful | thin |
| disappointed | meditative | thoughtful |
| disapproving | mesmerising | tight-lipped |
| disbelieving | mild | undecided |
| disgusted | mischievous | vacant |
| distasteful | miserable | veiled |
| doleful | moody | wary |
| dour | morose | weary |
| downcast | mournful | wide-eyed |
| dreamy | negative | withdrawn |
| ecstatic | obstinate | withering |
| enraged | optimistic | worried |
| envious | oval | wry |
| etched |
Not sure of the meaning of a word on the list? Look it up in the dictionary.
Mild is repeated once. Just thought I’d tell you.
Thanks for spotting this, Hazel. Now fixed. – Justin
List of words now alphabetical by column, repeated words deleted, optimised for mobile view.
Hi Justin,
I’ve always found these really useful. I could really use a list like this for each of the performance skills. Is that a resource you would consider creating?