Skip to content

Sensory Words

This list of sensory words can be used to describe your inner experience. Using neutral sensory words to describe what you feel removes the judgements (positive as well as negative) that are often implied when using more abstract words, such as “joyful”, “down”, “excited”, “sad”, to describe your inner experience.

The list can also be used to practice Eugene Gendlin’s focusing as it provides vocabulary that can help describe the often vague and inarticulate felt sense.

To learn more about how to use neutral sensory words for personal/spiritual development, you can have a look at:

Disengaging from inner criticism – 15 pahts of liberation (book)

Disengaging from inner criticism (online course)

67 thoughts on “Sensory Words”

    1. Maya Vati
      Reply

      Hi
      A few more to consider:
      Touch/Texture: granular, grainy, uneven, rigid, bendy, yielding, boiling, scalding, frozen
      Size: slender, huge, enormous, cavernous, infinite, gigantic, microscopic.
      Vision: murky
      Colours: magenta, violet, indigo (the last two because much used as rainbow and chakra colours)
      Smell: malodorous, stinky/stinking. Comment: nidorous exists but I have never heard/seen it used. I would put flowery in smell not vision.
      I don’t recognise the application of taste to the following: balmy (= warm weather) bristly (usually texture), bumpy (usually texture), chilly (usually temperature = texture).
      Thumbing does not apply to sound as far as I know and steno is not a smell. Both words are rare.
      Isn’t the English language rich? this has been great fun, thanks.

      1. Anonymous
        Reply

        Mia and mark I am disappointed in you and so would your mom and dad be you guys need to stop this inappropriate behavior or I’m going to report you guys to Google gemini site was my happiness and now its my deppresion you know there are some kids who value their education and do not need people like you influencing them

  3. stuart
    Reply

    deep, open, spacious, could go in size or vision

    touch/texture
    watery, metallic, effervescent, bubbly
    held?, weightless, suspended, unimpeded
    droplet, globule

    movement
    effulging, burgeoning, washing, flowing, undulating, flooding, shimmying, rushing, flushing , wafting, quivering. settling, condensing?(the sense of mist settling on something)
    size
    big, vast,

    sound
    some adjectives to go with the sounds: precise, clear, sonorous, bassy, muted, muffled, intense, melodic, guttural, continuous, high, undulating, distant, near, to my left, right , in front behind, other locations

    clank, clang, melody, tone, warbling

    maybe the thumbing (not a sound word I know) could be thrumming?

    I get curious about neutrality here as some sounds seem to express affect, I wouldn’t know how to describe the quality of a tone which felt poignant without using the word poignant, or the quality of the tone which has an urgency, or purity etc.. thats just something interesting .. like a minor tone seems intrinsically to have some affect.

    tingle is a sensation(as far as I know), but tinkle would be a good replacement

    colour
    pearly, claret,
    perhaps some distinctions: moonlight silver as well as metallic silver : baby blue, electric blue, dark blue Metallic gold, or sunset gold , baby pink, hot pink,

    vision
    glimmering, luminous

    smell
    To my mind reeking and sickly are not neutral
    could have specific scents: rose, honeysuckle, mint, liquorice, shit, piss, snot, rubber

    taste
    sherbet, liquorice, mint, lemon, orange, zingy, blackcurrant

    as I read this I wonder whether mouth-feel is its own class of sensation, with smooth(different when drunk than touched), mellifluous, melty, oily, evaporating like alcohol, creamy, like snow, like sorbet, like nectar

      1. Anonymous
        Reply

        Language is the primary vehicle for human communication, a complex system of symbols and sounds that shapes our interactions, influences perceptions, and defines cultural boundaries. While words provide the means to express profound ideas and foster connection, certain language—often labeled as offensive, profane, or “bad words”—carries significant weight and consequence within society. The debate surrounding these words extends far beyond mere politeness; it delves into issues of respect, psychological safety, social inclusion, and the foundational rules that govern public and private interactions. The effects of utilizing offensive language are demonstrably negative in various contexts, leading to breakdowns in communication, the perpetuation of harm, and the erosion of productive environments.
        One of the most immediate impacts of offensive language is its capacity to create psychological and emotional distress. Words can wound just as effectively as physical actions. When individuals use slurs, insults, or profanity in an aggressive manner, they inflict emotional pain, induce stress, and create a hostile atmosphere. This hostility often targets individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or ability. Such language is not simply an “unfiltered” form of expression; it is a tool of exclusion and dehumanization. In environments where such language is tolerated, marginalized groups often feel unsafe, unheard, and disrespected, leading to profound psychological harm and a reluctance to participate fully in social or professional life.

  11. mark jameson
    Reply

    Oh my fucking gosh! It’s Mia Khalifa. Can I cream inside you please?!? My fucking penis is 7 inches long and I can put 7 inches inside of you. I’m actually masturbating and beating my penis right now and I’m creaming right now. Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  16. yoonchae
    Reply

    Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
    Thought about you way too much, much, much, much, much
    Over, overthinkin’ us, us, us, us, us (ooh-ooh)
    ‘Cause you been so outta touch
    You coulda had my love, but you been so outta touch
    Monday, I was dreamin’ ’bout ya
    Tuesday, I was waitin’ near the phone
    Two days, wasn’t hearin’ from ya
    Yeah, what can I say? Oh, baby, I was gettin’ bored
    Thursday, I was losin’ interest
    Friday, you were out there in the cold
    Weekend, you already missed it
    I was movin’ on ’cause you were movin’ too slow
    ‘Cause sometimes I’m alone, stare out my window
    And the moon makes you seem close tonight
    But you been so outta touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
    Thought about you way too much, much, much, much, much
    Over overthinkin’ us, us, us, us, us
    ‘Cause you been so outta touch
    You coulda had my love, but you been so outta
    Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
    Thought about you way too much, much, much, much, much
    Yeah, you went and messed it up, up, up, up, up
    ‘Cause you been so outta touch
    You coulda had my love, but you been so outta touch
    First, you’re gonna say you’re sorry
    Promise you won’t do it anymore
    Come up with a different story
    Yeah, what can I say? Say somethin’ I ain’t heard before
    I’m too fun to waste my time
    Too young to waste one night
    So here comes some good advice
    If I ever call again, don’t press ignore
    ‘Cause sometimes I’m alone, stare out my window
    And the moon makes you seem close tonight (whoo)
    But you been so outta touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
    Thought about you way too much, much, much, much, much
    Over, overthinkin’ us, us, us, us, us
    ‘Cause you been so outta touch
    You coulda had my love, but you been so outta
    Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch (ah, ah)
    Thought about you way too much, much, much, much, much
    Yeah, you went and messed it up, up, up, up, up
    ‘Cause you been so outta touch
    You coulda had my love, but you been so outta touch

  19. Lebron James The Police Man
    Reply

    yall are some weird ass people mia khalifa and mark jameson like get a fucking life you weirdos like im finna call the goddamn cops on yall weird ass ngas like get a life bruh yall are two grown ass people saying this shit on a fucking kids sight like wtf is wrong with yall you fucking weirdos like do this on a different site without kids or smth like wtf

  22. Anonymous
    Reply

    You know what? Why don’t you do something right (to all of the people posting inappropriate or racist comments), and SHUT YOUR FLIPPIN MOUTHS.
    Nobody, and I mean NOBODY likes you, NOBODY thinks you’re funny, and this world is already too corrupt and we SERIOUSLY don’t need any more flippers like you. So heed me warning one last time: SHUT YOU MOUTH. And I don’t give a FLIP if you think i’m an idiot for saying this online, but this website, and the huge numbers of other ones out there were created for people to benefit from them, not for the buttholes like you to ruin everything. so STOP. just STOP.

  23. I see you Ismi
    Reply

    I’m not in the mood ’cause my flight delayed
    So I jumped on a private jet, and I’m askin’ the pilot the ETA
    Lambo’ parked on the landin’ strip, everyone in my gang and my DJ paid
    Why’s my man talkin’ ’bout Inshallah? These times, he don’t even pray
    Why’s my man wearin’ a Jesus piece? How does she squeeze in ’em jeans?
    Big behind and petitest waist, take time with the GBG, we don’t beef nobody like GBK
    Woke up on the wrong side of bed, so he’s gonna get – if I don’t have my P’s today
    I love my young boy, I won’t lead him ‘stray, I’m stuck to lil’ bro like PVA
    Paid already, I don’t need no hit song
    We don’t need ID, lil’ bro 17 in the club, he ain’t scrollin’ TikTok
    F’s just saw him a thick one, “Which one? Who do you want, bro? Pick one”
    If I shoot my shot, I’ll hit one, matter of time ’til I get ’em all ticked off, alright
    We can go band for band, – that, we can go M for M
    Quarter mil’ for the Maybach truck, double R with the factory rims
    I got the 90, the Urus, the Virgil, the Brabus, I’m really a threat
    It’s got to the point that I don’t even care, I got jewels in the safe that I don’t even wear
    Uh, bro’ll do it for some shoes and some clothes, you’ll see what he’ll do for a necklace
    ‘Rari truck, it look like a spider, it’s crawlin’ a dollar on just accessories (damn)
    She made me wanna go harder, I like her whole aura, I think I’m obsessed with her
    They hit h- birthday, did him the worst way, he had a death wish
    I get right under they skin, I don’t even try, I guess I can’t help that –
    I’ma have love for bro for life if we talk or not, I step with ’em
    Of course, you can beat me at talkin’, ain’t no back and forth, wait ’til we catch up with ’em –
    Knockin’ a bag and makin’ the opposite mad, I done fell in love wit’ it
    UK Selfridges with a cute one (ooh), bank account look good, this a new one (yeah)
    You the type like to type on computers (wow), got a mask, but he ain’t no – (haha)
    Top ten, but she don’t act bougie, me and your friends can go to Aruba
    Hit France, it depend on my mood, this a Maybach Benz, this ain’t no Uber
    We can go band for band, -, we can go M for M
    Mama got a body like Kim and ’em, mama been killin’ that gym
    We can go watch for watch, from chain to chain, the rings, I’m him
    I done got rich, but I’m still with the -, land in London and go to the ends
    We can go band for band, – that, we can go M for M
    Quarter mil’ for the Maybach truck, double R with the factory rims
    I got the 90, the Urus, the Virgil, the Brabus, I’m really a threat
    It’s got to the point that I don’t even care, I got jewels in the safe that I don’t even wear
    Source: Musix

  28. Police is here
    Reply

    The Societal Impact of Offensive Language
    Language is the primary vehicle for human communication, a complex system of symbols and sounds that shapes our interactions, influences perceptions, and defines cultural boundaries. While words provide the means to express profound ideas and foster connection, certain language—often labeled as offensive, profane, or “bad words”—carries significant weight and consequence within society. The debate surrounding these words extends far beyond mere politeness; it delves into issues of respect, psychological safety, social inclusion, and the foundational rules that govern public and private interactions. The effects of utilizing offensive language are demonstrably negative in various contexts, leading to breakdowns in communication, the perpetuation of harm, and the erosion of productive environments.
    One of the most immediate impacts of offensive language is its capacity to create psychological and emotional distress. Words can wound just as effectively as physical actions. When individuals use slurs, insults, or profanity in an aggressive manner, they inflict emotional pain, induce stress, and create a hostile atmosphere. This hostility often targets individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or ability. Such language is not simply an “unfiltered” form of expression; it is a tool of exclusion and dehumanization. In environments where such language is tolerated, marginalized groups often feel unsafe, unheard, and disrespected, leading to profound psychological harm and a reluctance to participate fully in social or professional life.

  30. HUH HHHUHUHU
    Reply

    WOOWOOWOOWOO what is the is stuff tht qa is going to happen wo why do I even have to write this like it is wo swerid having to write something that is about such a wieridf topic like what is eve ngwrog with people today like how to even make a fart turna into tuna with a cat jumping over the machine that has been running for like thirty years like what who could even write such a thing with so much dynamics and cool stuff ike who doesn’t think people are good today. ME IN PEROSNal I think this comment section is one of the createst police popoer s like who even thought of such a good idea

  31. HUH HHHUHUHU
    Reply

    WOOWOOWOOWOO what is the is stuff tht qa is going to happen wo why do I even have to write this like it is wo swerid having to write something that is about such a wieridf topic like what is eve ngwrog with people today like how to even make a fart turna into tuna with a cat jumping over the machine that has been running for like thirty years like what who could even write such a thing with so much dynamics and cool stuff ike who doesn’t think people are good today. ME IN PEROSNal I think this comment section is one of the createst police popoer s like who even thought of such a good idea
    why is this soo coooloo is this going to get blocked guys what do you think maybe maybe not

  60. Mark hater
    Reply

    MARK SHUT YOUR MOTHER FUCKING MOUTH YOU USELESS RETARDED MOTHERFUCKING SHIT FACE. YOU ARE PROBABLY ROTTING IN YOU MOMS BASEMENT AND YOU PROBABLY GO TO PYLE . TILDEN ANDNORTH BETHESDA IS BETTER BECAUSE WE HAVE BETTER FOOD AND OUR BATHROOMS ARENT BEING DESTROYED EVERY DAY. EVEN THOUGH AT NB THE TOILETS GET DESTROYED AND THEY NEVER REPLACE IT

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.