Frowning face with open mouth emoji 😦
The frowning face with open mouth emoji 😦 shows a yellow face with a small frown and a wide-open mouth. It’s used to express shock, worry, or disappointment.
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What the 😦 emoji means
The frowning face with open mouth emoji 😦 is a yellow face with a small frown and a wide open mouth that suggests a gasp. It sits in the middle of the concern spectrum: stronger than a mild frown but not as intense as full distress. People reach for it when something is worrying, awkward, or a little upsetting — a reaction to an unexpected bill, a cancelled plan, or an unfortunate piece of news. It’s the visual equivalent of a quiet “oh no”.
Unicode lists it as “frowning face with open mouth” and it belongs to the face-concerned subgroup, which also includes expressions like 😟 worried face, 🙁 slightly frowning face, and ☹️ frowning face. The open mouth is key: it separates 😦 from those other frowns by adding an element of surprise or shock. Where 😟 suggests ongoing anxiety and ☹️ suggests sadness or disapproval, 😦 captures the split second when something goes wrong and you haven’t quite processed it yet. Compare it with worried face emoji to see the difference.
How people use 😦 in messages
In text chats and social media, 😦 is a quick, low-key reaction to something unfortunate or unsettling. It’s less dramatic than 😱 but more concerned than 😕. You might use it when a friend shares a minor mishap, when a bill is higher than expected, or when a plan falls through. It can also work as a gentle expression of sympathy — “Oh no, that’s rough 😦” — without going overboard.
- Reacting to a friend’s bad exam result: “Oh no 😦”
- Showing concern after a minor injury: “Are you okay? 😦”
- Reacting to a sudden price increase: “That’s a lot 😦”
- Softening a complaint: “The weather ruined our picnic 😦”
- Expressing mild shock at a plot twist: “Wait, what? 😦”
- Sarcastically feigning concern: “You forgot your keys? Again? 😦”
It’s also common in group chats where one person shares an awkward or uncomfortable story, and everyone responds with a row of 😦 to show collective concern. The emoji pairs well with other face-concerned symbols like 😬 or 😅 to layer in a bit of nervous laughter or relief.
Compare frowning face with open mouth with similar emoji
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| frowning face with open mouthU+1F626 | Wide open mouth and small frown; shows shock with a hint of sadness. | |
| worried faceU+1F61F | Similar frown but closed mouth; more focused on anxiety than surprise. | |
| confused faceU+1F615 | Slanted mouth and raised eyebrows; signals uncertainty, not distress. | |
| slightly frowning faceU+1F641 | Milder frown, no open mouth; expresses mild disappointment. | |
| frowning faceU+2639 U+FE0F | Classic frown with closed mouth; stronger sadness or disapproval. | |
| face with open mouthU+1F62E | Open mouth with neutral eyebrows; shows surprise without the frown. |
😦 on different platforms
Like all emoji, 😦 looks slightly different depending on the platform or device you use. The overall expression — a yellow face with an open mouth and a frown — stays consistent, but details such as the shape of the mouth, the angle of the eyebrows, and the depth of the frown can vary. Some designs make the mouth wider and more oval, while others use a smaller round opening, which can shift the perceived intensity from worry to surprise. Despite these differences, the emoji is widely understood as mild distress or concern.
How to type and copy 😦
On most mobile phones, open the emoji keyboard and search for “frowning” or “concerned” to find it quickly. On a computer, use the system emoji picker — on Windows, press Win + . or Win + ;, then search; on macOS, press Ctrl + Cmd + Space and search. Some messaging apps support shortcodes such as :frowning_face_with_open_mouth: to insert the emoji automatically. If you need a full roundup of ways to bring up emoji keyboards on any device, see the guide to emoji keyboard shortcuts.
Questions people ask
What does 😦 mean?
The 😦 emoji shows a yellow face with a small frown and a wide open mouth. It typically expresses mild shock, concern, or disappointment.
Is 😦 the same as 😟?
Not quite. 😟 worried face has a closed mouth and emphasizes worry, while 😦 adds the open mouth to suggest a stronger reaction, like a gasp.
When should I use 😦?
Use it when something is slightly upsetting or unsettling but not tragic — such as bad news, an unexpected bill, or a minor mistake.
How do I type 😦 on a keyboard?
On a computer, use the emoji picker or copy the symbol from this page.
What is the difference between 😦 and 😮?
😮 face with open mouth is similar but has neutral eyebrows and is more about surprise. 😦 adds a frown, which shifts the meaning toward worry or disappointment.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
