Shows extreme shock, horror, or panic—like seeing a jump scare or hearing way too much drama. It’s the “AAAH!!” emoji, loud and theatrical.
You open your bank app and realize your card was charged twice for the same thing.
WHY IS MY MONEY GONE 😱
😱
- Groups
- Subgroups
- Unicode
- U+1F631
- Variant status
- Fully-qualified
- Emoji version
- E0.6
face screaming in fear
Definitions & examples
Can also be used playfully to exaggerate shock, like reacting to plot twists or spicy gossip.
In the Philippines and parts of Southeast Asia, 😱 is often used to express a “social-mortification scream,” signaling embarrassment, secondhand cringe, or shame intense enough to feel like shouting.
Because 😱 is so over-the-top, using it in serious contexts (like real emergencies) can seem insensitive—save it for jokes or fun surprises.
Compare picks
See what they share and how they differ to choose the right one.
Differences between 😱 (face screaming in fear) and 😲 (astonished face)
More on astonished face
😱 face screaming in fear and 😲 astonished face both convey surprise and strong emotional reaction, often used to amplify a message or react to unexpected events; both feature wide eyes and open mouths to signal that something has grabbed attention. The key difference is tone and intensity: 😱 reads theatrical, horror-tinged, and panicky—perfect for jump scares, dramatic overreactions, or conveying that you’re overwhelmed and a bit frantic—whereas 😲 feels cleaner, more awed and incredulous, ideal for genuine astonishment, pleasant shocks, or disbelief without the sense of terror; use 😱 to dramatize fear or chaos and 😲 to express stunned wonder or shock at something unusually surprising. The contexts overlap, but pick 😱 when the situation feels loud, frantic, or horror-themed, and pick 😲 when you want to convey stunned amazement or clear disbelief without panic.
Usage
You might use 😱 when describing a jump scare, a dramatic reveal, or news that feels overwhelming and chaotic—be expressive and let the tone be loud. Use 😲 for discovering something astonishing, unexpected good news, or clear disbelief—keep it more composed and awed.
Differences between 😱 (face screaming in fear) and 🙀 (weary cat)
More on weary cat
Both 😱 (face screaming in fear) and 🙀 (weary cat) convey strong shock and panic, often used to react to surprising, alarming, or overly dramatic situations; both read as theatrical exclamations that amplify an emotional response rather than a calm observation. The differences lie in tone and persona: 😱 feels human, visceral, and horror-movie loud—perfect for genuine fright, intense disbelief, or moments that demand an emphatic “AAAH!!”; 🙀 is more cartoonish and playful, channeling a melodramatic, slightly humorous despair with a feline flair that fits chaotic mishaps, absurdly bad news, or over-the-top “did that just happen?” moments; use 😱 when you want raw, dramatic alarm and use 🙀 when you want dramatic, comedic disbelief with a cute, exasperated edge.
Usage
You might choose 😱 if you’re reacting to genuinely shocking or terrifying news and want to convey loud, human panic. Use 🙀 if the situation is chaotic or absurd and you want to express exaggerated, playful despair with a catlike, theatrical tone.
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