exhilaration
Americannoun
-
exhilarated condition or feeling.
- Synonyms:
- hilarity, jollity, joyousness, animation
-
the act of exhilarating.
Etymology
Origin of exhilaration
First recorded in 1615–25, exhilaration is from the Late Latin word exhilarātiōn- (stem of exhilarātiō ). See exhilarate, -ion
Explanation
Exhilaration is great joy, and excitement and liveliness! When you ride an ocean wave, hear a favorite song, or have a long and uncontrollable laugh with friends, there's a feeling of exhilaration, an overflow of happiness. Most people have moments of exhilaration (egg-zill-uh-RAY-shun), sometimes during life's big moments, like a graduation or wedding, and often while just walking down the street and feeling great about the day and being alive. And exhilaration is contagious: when you witness someone else's exhilaration, it usually makes you full of warmth and joyousness too. Some synonyms of exhilaration also sound close to it, like "exultation," "exaltation," and "elation." As they say, it's all good.
Vocabulary lists containing exhilaration
Lord of the Flies
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Words inspired by "Inside Out"
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The Pearl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She and Dan’s father are pushing him toward college and a stable career, but, like Tamma, Dan is addicted to the exhilaration and challenge of climbing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
But the exhilaration felt in such moments had been matched by the "anger and profound sadness" felt in others.
From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025
Jerry Neuheisel was experiencing such a moment in UCLA’s upset of Penn State and his father Rick’s exhilaration over the joyful moment.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2025
In an interview with the Washington Post, Mitchell described his work from that time as “filled with pleasure of drawing, of fighting with men I loved, the exhilaration of color and war.”
From Slate • Jun. 6, 2025
I still want that same exhilaration Rufus experienced, so I put the goggles back on, count down from three, and jump.
From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
