thrill

[ thril ]
See synonyms for: thrillthrilledthrillingthrills on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to affect with a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement, as to produce a tremor or tingling sensation through the body.

  2. to utter or send forth tremulously, as a melody.

verb (used without object)
  1. to affect one with a wave of emotion or excitement.

  2. to be stirred by a tremor or tingling sensation of emotion or excitement: He thrilled at the thought of home.

  1. to move tremulously; vibrate; quiver.

  2. to cause a prickling or tingling sensation: Brisk cold thrills the skin.

noun
  1. a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement, sometimes manifested as a tremor or tingling sensation passing through the body.

  2. something that produces or is capable of producing such a sensation: a story full of thrills.

  1. a thrilling experience: It was a thrill to see Paris again.

  2. a vibration or quivering.

  3. Pathology. an abnormal tremor or vibration, as in the respiratory or vascular system.

Origin of thrill

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English thrillen originally, “to penetrate,” metathetic variant of thirlen “to pierce; thrill” (see thirl)

Other words for thrill

Other words from thrill

  • sub·thrill, noun

Words Nearby thrill

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use thrill in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for thrill

thrill

/ (θrɪl) /


noun
  1. a sudden sensation of excitement and pleasure: seeing his book for sale gave him a thrill

  2. a situation producing such a sensation: it was a thrill to see Rome for the first time

  1. a trembling sensation caused by fear or emotional shock

  2. pathol an abnormal slight tremor associated with a heart or vascular murmur, felt on palpation

verb
  1. to feel or cause to feel a thrill

  2. to tremble or cause to tremble; vibrate or quiver

Origin of thrill

1
Old English thӯrlian to pierce, from thyrel hole; see nostril, through

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012