feels

Feels is informal slang for emotional states or responses. In contemporary usage, "the feels" denotes a strong emotional reaction to something—often media, memories, or personal events. As a plural noun derived from "feelings," it is commonly used in expressions such as "I have the feels," "the feels hit me," or "get the feels." The term can describe tenderness, nostalgia, empathy, or sadness, and may be positive or bittersweet.

Origin and spread: The phrase arose in online culture and gradually entered everyday informal speech. It is particularly prevalent in fan communities, gaming and anime discourse, and social media, where users describe being moved by scenes, music, or stories.

Usage and tone: Feels is informal and humorous in many contexts, and is rarely appropriate in formal writing. It often accompanies short captions or comments and can be intensified by memes, such as "the feels" combined with image macros. Variants include "feelsy" or "to get the feels," meaning to experience an emotional surge. The term also appears in discussions of empathy and shared emotional experiences, highlighting vicarious emotion rather than personal sentiment alone.

Impact: The concept reflects how online culture frames emotional response as a communicable phenomenon, sometimes turning genuine feelings into a shared meme or ritual. It remains a flexible, evolving part of internet slang used to acknowledge or signal affect in a lighthearted way.