EMOTION THESAURUS

APPREHENSION



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HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
A stress state caused by the anticipation of misfortune or adversity


SIMILAR EMOTIONS:

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Watching the clock or door (or checking one's phone for a text, etc.) 
Chewing the inside of a cheek
Wetting or biting the lips
Rocking slightly with a faraway look (an inward gaze)
An uneven stride or hesitating before moving
A fixed look of concentration
Growing unusually quiet
Offering a flash of a smile that doesn't reach the eyes 
Needing to get up, move, or do something 
Gripping the hands together
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM APPREHENSION:
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MAY ESCALATE TO:
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CUES OF SUPPRESSED APPREHENSION:
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MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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