π°
Anxious Face With Sweat
ang-shuhs feys with swet
Definitions
1
Emotional Β· Anxiety
Common
Expresses anxiety, worry, or nervousness with visible stress (indicated by sweat). Used to show discomfort in tense situations or when feeling overwhelmed.
Often used when feeling stressed about deadlines, awkward social situations, or when narrowly avoiding trouble.
Just realized my presentation is tomorrow and I haven't started π°
Group chat message
Almost got caught sneaking in after curfew π°
Text message
The professor called on me when I wasn't paying attention π°
Social media post
While similar to other anxious emojis, the sweat element specifically indicates physical manifestation of stress rather than just mental worry.
2
Emotional Β· Relief
Less Common
Sometimes used to express relief after a stressful situation has passed, with the sweat representing the lingering physical reaction to stress.
This secondary meaning is less common and can be confused with other sweating emojis.
Just passed that exam by one point π°
Instagram story
My card went through after being declined twice π°
WhatsApp message
The relief aspect is more prominent in younger users who may use it after narrowly avoiding trouble.
Evolution Timeline
2010
Initially introduced as part of Unicode 6.0, interpreted primarily as showing physical exhaustion.
Early smartphone adoption created need for expressing digital emotion.
2015
Meaning shifted toward anxiety and nervousness rather than physical exertion.
Rising social media discourse about anxiety and mental health.
2018
Became associated with 'awkward' content and cringe culture online.
Growth of platforms sharing embarrassing moments and social anxiety content.
2021
Increasingly used to express climate anxiety and pandemic stress.
Global events creating collective anxiety reflected in emoji usage.
Cultural Context
The rise in usage of this emoji parallels increasing public discourse about anxiety disorders and mental health awareness in Western societies.
Gen Z users often employ this emoji ironically to downplay genuinely stressful situations, reflecting generational tendencies toward self-deprecating humor about anxiety.
This emoji fills a specific linguistic gap by expressing the physical manifestation of anxiety (sweat) alongside the emotional experience.
The subtle visual difference between this and other anxious/sweating emojis leads to frequent misinterpretation across platforms with different renderings.
Usage spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to express collective anxiety about health, social isolation, and economic uncertainty.
Regional Variations
Australia
Often used in Australia to express concern about extreme weather events or dangerous wildlife encounters.
United Kingdom
Often used with British understatement to downplay genuinely stressful situations.
United States
Often used to express anxiety about social faux pas or awkward situations, particularly in casual digital communication.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Less frequently used, but employed literally to express genuine concern in serious contexts. Preferred on email and Facebook.
Gen_Z: Used frequently and often ironically to express social anxiety or mock their own stress responses. Common on TikTok and Instagram.
Older: Rarely used by older generations who typically prefer more straightforward text expressions of concern or worry.
Millennials: Used more literally to express genuine work stress, parenting challenges, or financial anxiety. Common on WhatsApp and Facebook.
Common Combinations
π°π
Extreme nervousness followed by relief or awkward laughter.
Used after narrowly avoiding trouble or embarrassment, especially in professional contexts.
π°π
Anxiously hoping or praying for a positive outcome.
Often used when awaiting results or decisions beyond one's control.
π°π¦
Extreme anxiety or panic with emphasized sweating.
Used to amplify the feeling of stress, often in humorous contexts.
π°π€
Anxiously hoping for luck in a stressful situation.
Common when discussing exams, job interviews, or uncertain outcomes.
π°β°
Anxiety about deadlines or running out of time.
Particularly common among students and professionals facing time pressure.
Related Emojis
π
Also shows sweat but with a more downcast expression of disappointment or sadness.
π₯
Sad but relieved face with sweat, showing sadness with similar physical stress.
π¨
Fearful face without sweat, expressing similar emotion without physical reaction.
π
Sweat with smile, used for relief after anxiety has passed.
π₯΅
Shows similar sweat but from heat rather than anxiety.