thrill
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to affect with a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement, as to produce a tremor or tingling sensation through the body.
-
to utter or send forth tremulously, as a melody.
verb (used without object)
-
to affect one with a wave of emotion or excitement.
-
to be stirred by a tremor or tingling sensation of emotion or excitement.
He thrilled at the thought of home.
-
to cause a prickling or tingling sensation.
Brisk cold thrills the skin.
noun
-
a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement, sometimes manifested as a tremor or tingling sensation passing through the body.
-
something that produces or is capable of producing such a sensation.
a story full of thrills.
-
a thrilling experience.
It was a thrill to see Paris again.
-
a vibration or quivering.
-
Pathology. an abnormal tremor or vibration, as in the respiratory or vascular system.
noun
-
a sudden sensation of excitement and pleasure
seeing his book for sale gave him a thrill
-
a situation producing such a sensation
it was a thrill to see Rome for the first time
-
a trembling sensation caused by fear or emotional shock
-
pathol an abnormal slight tremor associated with a heart or vascular murmur, felt on palpation
verb
-
to feel or cause to feel a thrill
-
to tremble or cause to tremble; vibrate or quiver
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
thrillsimple
-
thrillssimple
-
have thrilledperfect
-
has thrilledperfect
-
am thrillingprogressive
-
are thrillingprogressive
-
is thrillingprogressive
-
have been thrillingperfect progressive
-
has been thrillingperfect progressive
Past
-
thrilledsimple
-
had thrilledperfect
-
was thrillingprogressive
-
were thrillingprogressive
-
had been thrillingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of thrill
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English thrillen originally, “to penetrate,” metathetic variant of thirlen “to pierce; thrill” ( see thirl)
Explanation
Thrill doesn’t refer to any old type of excitement; this stuff is intense. For many people, the experience of riding a roller coaster provides a great thrill, or an intense feeling of excitement. Thrill comes from an Old English word meaning “pierce,” suggesting the metaphor of being “pierced by emotion.” Thrill is often used in a strictly positive sense, though it can also refer to the unique combination of terror and pleasure that some people experience in certain situations — for example, when riding death-defying roller coasters or watching frightening flicks (often called thrillers).
Vocabulary lists containing thrill
Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary Review, Unit 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 10, Week 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Is the thrill in the chips trade gone?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 19, 2026
He continued to thrill the crowds at Trent Bridge until 1974, but it was in his first season at Notts that produced his most famous hour.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
They say they’re driven by curiosity, the thrill of roaming forbidden spaces and a zeal to document discoveries—and that they’re careful and know their limits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
But there could be, because the plot of “Young Washington” plays out with all the thrill of a textbook chapter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
“Of course, we’d have the advantage of surprise,” he said, and I felt an unexpected thrill at the coldness of his voice.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
After a final round full of spills and thrills, Fox knew a birdie on the 18th would be enough to secure his first major title.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Action, suspense, and noir thrills are all great.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari has unveiled its first fully electric model, the Luce, belatedly joining rivals like Porsche and Lamborghini to offer clean-energy driving thrills.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
What should have been a day of nail-biting and thrills threatened, instead, to be one of consternation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
The mere sight of Lincoln thrills the crowd.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
“I’m very delighted and blessed and thrilled to say I’ve got so many grandparents now.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
"I'm thrilled to say welcome back to the White House, and maybe I'll see you again next year," said Trump.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
“USC and Nike have grown together for more than 30 years,” athletic director Jennifer Cohen said in a statement, “and we are thrilled to continue one of the great partnerships in college athletics.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
I’m thrilled for Hathaway and Portman, but personally, I’m happy to be done with the sleepless nights of the baby phase.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
She would have been thrilled at the prospect of seeing an important collection of ferns, and even felt some anticipatory tummy rumbles at the thought of eating what promised to be a truly delicious meal.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
The “Odyssey” may be a thrilling Greek tale of homecoming by sea, but the true story of a Greek homecoming by land—even without witches and monsters—offers other delights to readers of ancient history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
When the convention was first announced, it sounded like it might be a thrilling opportunity to see real wheeling and dealing on a convention floor from which a nominee would eventually emerge.
From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026
But Finch, 59, anchored a band whose calling card was thrilling, glorious bluntness.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
Commentating on the thrilling climax of this year's Open, there was barely a moment to describe the biggest putt of Ryan Fox's life because he struck it so quickly.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Max raised his voice, and everyone calmed down a bit, though there was a new energy in the room, buzzing, thrilling, churning through each of them.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
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.
