adrenaline rush

American

[uh-dren-l-in ruhsh] / əˈdrɛn l ɪn ˌrʌʃ /

noun

a sudden, intense feeling of exhilaration or excitement caused by or as if by a surge of adrenaline.

It's the adrenaline rush and the intensity of the competition that I most look forward to.
These folks eat, breathe, and sleep roller coasters and can never get enough of an adrenaline rush.

Etymology

Origin of adrenaline rush

First recorded in 1965–70

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:

adrenaline rush

The experience proved an adrenaline rush, Biel added.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

The butterflies never go away, Dalton said, and an adrenaline rush right before a physically demanding stunt is inevitable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

"In the end, everything worked out. Everyone went down in a single file, everyone helping, and we managed to finish the trail, see the sunrise, and experience that adrenaline rush," Nobre told the paper.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

“It was an adrenaline rush until the end after that. It just took a little confidence.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025

Instead, the adrenaline rush seemed to make my brain work much faster, and I was able to absorb in clear detail several things at once.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023