Everything reacts to everything. It’s part of our inseparable fabric. The things we face are sometimes reaped from our past and even ancestral seeds and sometimes, they’re freshly sown, by us.
The expanse of this time span explains why we have so little to say in the things that happen to us. But, all hope ain’t lost because we do get an opinion on some things. Those are a lot, actually. And that opinion is our reaction and most importantly, our control over this reaction.
Though that context would do wonderfully in real life, we’re talking virtual here. Even on virtual platforms, you always get to choose your reaction. If you think about nothing mindless can ever happen, unless it’s a chosen state of mind. And here are some ways you could apply to sound close and anywhere close to context.
#1 Happy/Joyful

๐ Grinning Face With Smiling Eyes Emoji
The most common of all human emotions is happiness. We all feel happy, subjectively. And, every now and then, we lose the “feeling” and gain it back.
It’s humanly impossible to stay happy all the time. But it’s always possible to choose happiness always. And if you’re making that reactive choice online, use ๐.
#2 Sad/Feeling Low

๐ Pensive Face Emoji
Like everything else, this too shall pass. Sadness is hardly permanent. It’s a fleeting phase, very similar to everything else in life. We are in a fleeting phase.
So, when you come across something that aches you in more than just one way, you could use ๐ to quantify that ache or sadness on a virtual platform.
#3 Angry/Raging

๐ Angry Face Emoji
If something straight up maddened you, pissed you off, made you want to punch a wall, or just cry into a pillow cause you’re so angry, you probably had this face on.
But not all anger is the same anger. Like any other emotion, temper too has its levels or intensities. For instance, ๐ is an angry reaction to anything tolerable. Whereas, the ๐ก Pouting Face is for something that’s intolerable and unacceptable.
We all curse. We verbally abuse and ensure to wreck someone’s space with our words when they’ve pushed us a little or too much over the edge. Well, for that kind of anger, there’s the one with the ๐คฌ Symbols.
#4 Impressed

๐ Smiling Face With Heart Eyes Emoji
This one’s the perfect reaction to anything or anyone that impressed. We could choose to be easily impressed or we could be Gordon Ramsay. Nonetheless, ๐ shows that appreciation.
You could also use the ๐ป Cat Version of ๐. It’s just the same emoji with the same meaning but a cat’s face holding the expression.
- Whoa. That’s really cool, not even kidding ๐๐
#5 Grateful

๐ Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes Emoji
This one’s here to eradicate the awkwardness after receiving a compliment.
First off, every single human is gorgeous and amazing. Someone noticing that is not supposed to be awkward. But if it is, ๐ is one of the best ways to respond to compliments.
- Hey! I love your new look! It’s so COOL
(instead of) heh. gee, thanks
(try) Thank you! ๐
(was that so hard?)
#6 Honored/Privileged

๐ Smiling Face With Halo Emoji
Has someone ever texted you something so profound that sending them just a “thank you” feels a little less? Or have you ever felt “honored” in any textual conversation and you’re stuck with the response?
๐ is here to fill that gap.
- Hey! I’m in love with your page! You serve content that people need at the hour.
(instead of) Thank you so much.
(try) Thanks a lot! I’m really glad you like it ๐
Or, if you wish to tone it down, even a simple โบ๏ธ Smiling Face would do (extra is always our first choice).
#7 Loved

๐ฅฐ Smiling Face With Hearts Emoji
#feelingloved is the exact interpretation of ๐ฅฐ. Except, in the case of an emoji, you’re a lot more “vocal” about it.
When you’re responding to something lovable or even to someone who made you feel loved, this emoji comes first. You could always personalize responses with emojis that would fit better, ๐ฅฐ is just the ground-rule.
#8 Irritated

๐ Person Pouting Emoji
If someone or something frustrated you or made you restless and irritated, it might seem a little extreme to choose abuse and hurt. Instead, choose emoji!
In place of that lengthy paragraph verbalizing your rage towards a subject, you could cut it short to ๐. As the saying goes, if you’ve got nothing nice to say, might as well say nothing.
Other variants that you could use in the same context – ๐โโ๏ธ Woman Pouting, ๐โโ๏ธ Man Pouting, and ๐พ Cat Pouting (the latter’s a great way of saying “my cat hates you“).
#9 Disappointed

๐ Disappointed Face Emoji
I saw that disappointed look on her face
If you’ve ever said or heard that, this is what it look(ed)s like ๐. The name and the face fit! You’re neither sad nor angry, just plainly let down.
Now, this emoji is very often used to show sadness as well. That’s not a wrong use-case because different platforms describe ๐ differently. On some platforms, this face looks sad and on some, disappointed.
- I wasn’t expecting it to be this way ๐
#10 Creeped

๐ Person Gesturing NO
This one’s for the inappropriate DMs or comments. Anything that disturbs your sense of self to any extent; little or a lot ought to be dealt with.
But, before you get to the point of verbally kicking their ass, you could start small with ๐ .
- Hey baby girl. Who’s your daddy
(instead of) Fuck off, creep (being the first text)
(start with) Nope ๐ (and then, block. Because people will never stop being creepy).
#11 Disgusted

๐คฎ Vomiting Face Emoji
A lot of things gross us out on a regular basis. Some are just ๐คข Nauseating, while some, make us sick to the stomach.
So, when something disgusts you to an extent that makes you want to throw up in reality, ๐คฎ is the reaction you’d be sending. It works great for cringe too
- You’re so sexist ๐คฎ๐คฎ๐คฎ๐คฎ๐คฎ๐คฎ๐คฎ๐คฎ
#12 Shocked

๐ฒ Astonished Face Emoji
It’s quite shocking that shock in itself can have only one frequency. It’s either shocking or it’s not. No levels or intensities here.
However, shock could merge with other emotions and make it a lot more intense. Like, with ๐ฑ Terror, ๐ฏ Surprise, or a sort of ๐ฎ Realization.
#13 Bored

๐ฅฑ Yawning Face Emoji
Yawning in bed is very different from yawning in a room full of people, or in this case, a chatroom full of people.
The first case signifies human sleepiness when the body clock winds down, but the latter is definitely a sign of boredom. Being bored apparently increases your chances of falling asleep, thus yawning.
- So. You just explained in an unnecessary paragraph exactly what I just said ๐ฅฑ๐ฅฑ
- Do you talk in any other language besides small talk? ๐ฅฑ
#14 Confusion

๐ Confused Face Emoji
This is for the times when someone repeats the joke for the fifth time and you still don’t get it. Confusion could have other faces too like a ๐ถ Face Without a Mouth or even the ๐ Neutral Face.
#15 Hilarity

๐ Face With Tears of Joy Emoji
Finding something hilarious is highly personal, like other emotions. In fact, it’s easier to piss someone off than to make them laugh. Comedy is art that way.
So, if you found something bluntly funny, ๐ would be perfect. If the joke sent down a bellyache, ๐คฃ Rolling on the Floor Laughing would be the better option. You could also use the ๐น Laughing Cat in place of this emoji.
#16 Heartache/Pain

๐ญ Loudly Crying Face Emoji
We’ve all had moments when we’d break down, usually for more than one reason. A bottled-up heart and mind are bound to face such a consequence.
๐ญ is for when you feel this uncontrollable urge to burst. But, you don’t really feel that intensity. This emoji is just extra. However, if dramatic emotion is what you’re aiming for, then ๐ญ is perf.
- That’s so fkn horrible. Jesus ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
For smaller quantities of sadness; the ones you could handle with fewer tears, use the ๐ข Crying Face.
#17 Shy/Awkward

๐ Grinning Face With Sweat Emoji
Has anyone or anything made you so awkward that the awkwardness passed strongly from the virtual realm to the real one real quick? If yes, you’d agree ๐ to be the ideal response.
You could also use the ๐ฌ Grimacing Face or the ๐ See No Evil Monkey for similar awkward situations.
- Um. I’m not sure. I don’t usually go that far on a first date ๐ ๐
#18 Challenging/Competitive

๐คจ Face With Raised Eyebrow Emoji
We’ve all had at least one textual conversation when the other person goes “Bet you can’t do that” or “Oh. I don’t think you’re that type”. And for each time we wish(ed) to fling a kick up their backside for spewing such negativity, we can use ๐คจ.
- And what if I can. Huh? ๐คจ๐คจ What if I kick your ass at it?
- Oh really? Have you ever seen me do it? ๐คจ Pretty sure my moves are better.
#19 Mindblown

๐คฏ Exploding Head Emoji
When we say we’re blown away by something, it’s actually an intense level of appreciation, which goes back to #4.
However, ๐ or ๐ป would suggest a sense of affection along with impression because you’re probably in love with whatever you witnessed, thus you’re impressed.
But, ๐คฏ ain’t subjective. It’s based on facts and not preference. So, even when a stranger shares something new, shocking, or just about anything you had zero ideas about, you could use ๐คฏ if the info impressed you a lot or blew your mind in other words,
#20 Approval

๐ Thumbs Up Emoji
When something strikes as subjectively good, good to go, okay, or anything that fits well in your mind and perception, use ๐ to show that approval.
Similarly, to show that you disapprove, dislike or even disagree with something or someone, the ๐ Thumbs Down emoji comes in handy.
#21 Afraid/Fear

๐จ Fearful Face Emoji
Not to end the list on an uncomfortable note, but to end it with one of the most innate emotional responses. We’re all afraid at some point in our lives. Some things are less scary than the rest.
So, when you’re afraid of something or when you witnessed something that “sent the chills”, you could react with ๐จ. If the fear is a little towards the extreme, ๐ฑ Screaming in Fear is helpful.
- I honestly hope we don’t have to deal with something like that ๐จ
Emojis largely differ from emotions. The former is just a symbol of the latter. While emojis occupy the tip of the iceberg, emotions are the iceberg and the entire ocean. Emojis are not here to replace the authenticity of emotions, they’re just here to convey them in much simpler ways.
There are many other emotions and emotional reactions that are not on the list; those that require more than just one symbol to validate the given stimulus. The emojis here are just responses to generic stimuli like cringe, creep, awkwardness, sadness (which is sad or painfully sad), etc.