exuberance
Americannoun
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Also exuberancy. the state of being exuberant.
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an instance of this.
His pranks are youthful exuberances.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exuberance
From the Latin word exūberantia, dating back to 1630–40. See exuberant, -ance
Explanation
Use exuberance to describe joyful enthusiasm and liveliness. You appreciate the natural exuberance of small children, but you prefer to enjoy it from a distance. The noun exuberance comes from the adjective exuberant, which itself came from a Latin word that originally described an overflowing supply of milk from the udder of a cow or goat! The word still means "overflowing," not with milk but with joy and enthusiasm. After your winning home run, the fans ran onto the field and, in their exuberance, carried you off on their shoulders . . . before you touched home plate.
Vocabulary lists containing exuberance
An Inspirational Back-to-School Word List
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Words inspired by "Inside Out"
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The Things They Carried
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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.
The Chrysler Building, which was opened in 1930 as a symbol of exuberance and modernity, had faced several years of uncertainty over its ownership.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Plenty of films measure the lamentable distance between real life and Hollywood fantasy, but there’s not enough poignancy or creative exuberance in these stilted dance sequences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
The adrenaline-fueled exuberance of Rose's side in the first half appeared to catch up with them in the second, but their desire to compete never wavered.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Bringing some necessary comic relief is the fourth character, a hearty American woman, Cheryl-Ann, played with funny, galumphing exuberance by Donna Lynne Champlin.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
From where I stood, I could see the exuberance, but I could hear nothing.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
