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Please have a look on the scenario below:

We both loved each other. When we met each other for the second time, we both conveyed some messages through our looks and the way we stared at each other, we knew that we are somehow in love. But I don't ever forget; we both went red / blushed.

Does the choice between "go red" and the verb "blush" completely depend on personal preferences or are there any subtle nuances of their meanings? Which one would you go for in this context?

Although "blushing" sounds a bit girly to me, I don't see much difference between them at all. So I guess I can use them interchangeably nearly always.

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  • It looks like you switched the definition links by the way, just a heads up
    – katatahito
    Jun 20, 2019 at 7:32

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Blushing is a more formal, standard term for emotional reddening of the face caused by embarrassment, shyness or shame, and "going red" is conversational and informal. They are not completely interchangeable. Someone can "go red", or redden, with anger or excitement, and we would not call that 'blushing'.

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  • Do you know what "embarrassment" means? Why is that confusing?
    – Michael Harvey
    Jun 20, 2019 at 10:57
  • I know @Michael Harvey, but you said: "Someone can "go red", or redden, with anger or excitement, and we would not call that 'blushing'." And by asking my previous question in the comment, I was going to say that "while going red" implies "embarrassment" why it cannot be an exact synonym of "blushing"? That maybe because of the fact that "going red" (as you mentioned) encapsulates a wider range of reasons like "anger" etc. Am I following you? Do you confirm?
    – A-friend
    Jun 20, 2019 at 12:02
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    Going red from embarrassment, shyness, shame, etc, could also be more formally called blushing, but going red from anger cannot.
    – Michael Harvey
    Jun 20, 2019 at 12:08
  • Excellet. Thank you very much MH. +1 Also I guess we can substitute freely "going red" with "reddening on the face", while about "blush" we cannot do that. @Michael Harvey Right?
    – A-friend
    Jun 20, 2019 at 12:29
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    You got it, but it's reddening in the face.
    – Michael Harvey
    Jun 20, 2019 at 12:43

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