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.
Say it like a native
Textbook I need time to achieve clarity regarding my own emotional state.
Native I just need time to figure out how I feel.
'Figure out how I feel' is how people talk about emotional clarity; the formal version is a counselling form.
Pattern: figure out + wh-clause / figure out + what/why/how + someone feels
In use
- 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
Common mistake
✗ I'm still figuring out about my feelings.
✓ I'm still figuring out my feelings. / figuring out how I feel.
'Figure out' takes the object directly — no 'about'.
Common collocations
figure out + feelings— how I feel, what I want, myself, things
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.