This addition to the Writing Emotions series is courtesy of Lindsay in Australia (hiya, Lindsay!) who reminded me these posts matter. I chose the topic of disgust because it’s a form of self-disgust (hello, impostor syndrome) that has been keeping me from writing posts like these.

If this is your first visit to this series, welcome! The idea of my Writing Emotions posts is to help out writers just like me, who want to create more believable characters who not only react like real people but also touch the hearts of real people. My goal is for readers to feel less alone, more acknowledged, and find representations of themselves on the page. Because let’s be honest, we all want to feel like we belong, like we’re seen.

In this post, we’ll break down the body language, facial expressions, speech patterns, and sensations associated with disgust.

As always, a trigger warning. This is a post on kinds of disgust, things that might cause disgust, and the reactions associated with it. If you have a low cringe tolerance, it might be safer to scroll away. Read on with caution.

With that out of the way…

Disgust comes in three main flavours: the sensation related to sensory input (AKA, disgust courtesy of roadkill, mouldy food, or the taste of stale food), reactions based on morals or socially acceptable behaviours (disgust courtesy of witnessing or hearing about disturbing events), and self-disgust (feelings of deep dissatisfaction with oneself, usually leading to or because of mental illness).

Today, we’ll focus on disgust related to sensory and moral input. Because the sensations and reactions of self-disgust are so close to those of anger or sadness, I’d suggest checking out the posts I dedicated to those topics.

Disgusted Body Language

• If a character is witnessing something that disgusts them, whether from a sensory input or a moral quandary, they might try to create distance between them and the scene. They might:
  • Lean away
  • Flinch or wince
  • Turn their body or head away from the scene
  • Retreat a step
  • Run away
• If the disgust is caused by another character, they might avoid that character’s touch.
• A character might also freeze in place, unable to move away.
• Shielding movements. If they can’t create distance, they might:
  • Raise their arms like a shield
  • Raise clothing or accessories like a shield
  • Raising arms, clothing, or accessories to cover their face
• Shudders and shivers.
• Stoic characters might go still, not exactly frozen, but won’t move as much. As always, their greatest betrayers of emotion will happen in microexpressions, which we’ll get to in the Expressions section.
• Vomiting and associated reactions, such as:
  • Gagging
  • Dry-heaving
  • Lurching forwards
  • Curling over
  • Crouching
  • Head between knees
  • Holding their abdomen
  • Holding their throat
  • Covering their mouth and nose in the crook of their elbow
  • Pretending to gag
  • If one character is gagging, there’s a good chance another character might be a sympathetic gagger, and follow the vomit train, leading to more overall disgust
• Hand movements:
  • Cover the mouth, nose, eyes, or ears with their hands
  • Pinching shut nostrils
  • Plugging ears
  • Hands on the throat or stomach
  • Hands outstretched like a shield
  • Fan themself
  • Wiping sweat off face
  • Clutching objects or other characters to keep themselves upright
  • Rubbing hands over their tongue, as though to clean it (if the character tasted something disgusting)
  • Stoic characters tend to keep their hands tight or hidden in pockets if they can’t hide their trembling

Disgusted Speech

• Emotive interjections such as:
  • Blegh!
  • Yuck!
  • Eww!
  • Ugh!
  • Yeugh!
• The character might moan, grunt, groan or mumble.
• Sounds made with air, like sniffing, scoffing, or huffing.
• If the character is disgusted by the actions of another or a disturbing scene, they might exclaim, ‘No!’ or, ‘Stop!’
• A character might also try to ridicule someone that disgusts them, and employ language meant to shun, ‘Get away from me!’ etc.
• Some characters might try to hide their disgust, which will lead to evasive speech. This will be especially true of stoic characters.

Disgusted Expressions

• Paling OR their face turning red
• Sneers and grimaces.
• The upper lip raises or curls.
• Parting lips/gaping.
• The upper teeth might be exposed.
• Lips pulling downward like an upside-down U.
• Lips pulling to the side, with the lowering of the bottom lip.
• Jutting lower lip, jaw, or chin.
• Sticking out tongue (in a gagging motion).
• Licking lips.
• Slack jaw.
• Clenched jaw (maybe to keep in vomit).
• Yellowed nostrils.
• Upturned nose.
• Scrunched nose.
• Narrowed eyes.
• Eyes widened in disbelief, if only for a moment.
• Looking away, or at anything except the cause of the disgust (which might lead to a gaze jerking all over the place)
• Closed eyes.
• Turning their face, but looking at the object of disgust with one eye open, as though they don’t want to see it but can’t look away.
• Cheeks puffed out.
• A stoic character will likely keep their expression placid, except for microexpressions:
  • Twitched mouth corners
  • Twitched eyebrows
  • Eyes that narrow for a split second

What Disgust Feels Like

• Churning, roiling, or too-tight stomach.
• Stomach pain.
• Feeling nauseated.
• Tight, constricting throat.
• Vomit pushing up in the throat.
• Excessive saliva.
• Having to swallow often, which might be uncomfortable or even painful due to the tightness of the throat.
• A choking sensation.
• Spitting often.
• The character could also have the opposite reaction, and their throat and mouth might dry to the point of discomfort.
• A tongue that feels swollen.
• Dizziness and shaking.
• Blood rushing to the head, feeling lightheaded.
• Cold sweats or sweat on the nose/upper lip. Also, sweat running down spine.
• Feeling dirty, as though their skin is covered in whatever causes the disgust. With this will come the urge to clean, so the character might take a longer, more scalding shower than usual.
• The urge to create distance will likely cause the leg muscles to tense, feet might tingle, etc
• Hair raising in nape or arms.
• Disbelief.
• Racing heartbeat.
• Blood whooshing in ears.

It’s been a while since I’ve added to this series, but you can find the other Writing Emotions posts here. If you have requests for this series, please feel free to hang out in the comments or send me a DM.

Until next time.

Yolandie