Strained upset

Uncomfortable

Strength 1 of 4

Ill at ease in a situation that doesn’t quite fit, whether a conversation, a request or a silence, with a mild pull to shift or step back.

In the body

  • Shifting in your seat
  • Gaze sliding away
  • A slight tightening in the stomach

Needs behind it

When these needs aren’t met

EaseSafetyAuthenticity

Softer and stronger

  1. Bothered
  2. Uncomfortable
  3. Disturbed
  4. Troubled
  5. Unsettled
  6. Distressed
  7. Rattled
  8. Upset
  9. Distraught

Often confused with

Bothered

Bothered is a small nag that keeps pulling your attention back; uncomfortable is unease in a situation that doesn’t quite fit, with a pull to shift away.

Uneasy

Uneasy is a vague disquiet that something may be wrong, often without knowing what; uncomfortable is being ill at ease in a particular situation, with a pull to shift or step back.

See also

Tense