Meaning trap
figure out
work out emotionally
To come to terms with or gain clarity about one's own feelings or emotional state, often after a period of confusion or difficulty.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To come to terms with or gain clarity about one's own feelings or emotional state, often after a period of confusion or difficulty.
'figure out' also has the more basic meaning 'understand after thinking'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- It took me a long time to figure out how I really felt about moving abroad.emotions
- Many young people struggle to figure out their identity during adolescence, which can lead to periods of uncertainty and self-doubt.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: figure out + wh-clause / figure out + what/why/how + someone feels
WrongI'm still figuring out about my feelings.
RightI'm still figuring out my feelings. / figuring out how I feel.
'Figure out' takes the object directly — no 'about'.
Patternfigure out + wh-clause / figure out + what/why/how + someone feels
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Figure out how I feel' is how people talk about emotional clarity; the formal version is a counselling form.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
figure out + feelingshow I feelwhat I wantmyselfthings
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense, which is about finding answers to practical questions or problems, this sense is specifically about understanding or resolving emotional or psychological issues.
Related
- figure out (understand after thinking) — 'figure out' also has the more basic meaning 'understand after thinking'; this is the advanced sense.