thrilling

1 of 2

adjective

thrill·​ing ˈthri-liŋ How to pronounce thrilling (audio)
Synonyms of thrillingnext
: causing a feeling of great excitement or happiness
a thrilling discovery
a thrilling performance
… flashes into the end zone to give the Rams the winning touchdown in the most thrilling Super Bowl finish ever.—Rick Reilly
thrillingly
ˈthri-liŋ-lē How to pronounce thrilling (audio)
adverb
Who, in fact, are the good guys and who are the bad guys in the dramas that unfold here so thrillingly? —Marie Winn
… this is a powerful and thrillingly strange movie … —Terrence Rafferty

thrilling

2 of 2

present participle of thrill entry 1

Synonyms of thrilling

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Adjective

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Examples of thrilling in a Sentence

Adjective a thrilling adventure movie
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Anyone who’s watched Unrivaled knows this game is every bit as thrilling as any other sport out there. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Boyle succeeds in making a thrilling, propulsive movie using his signature kinetic filmmaking style of quick cuts, unconventional camera angles, and a frantic pace. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026 Carse had been out celebrating Durham’s thrilling victory over Derbyshire that had been completed inside three days, and was due to meet up with England at Lord’s on Monday for the second Test. — Paul Newman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Which is the point when a nicely thrilling romp of a movie becomes a masterclass in how environmental survival really works. — Solitaire Townsend, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thrilling

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1768, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrilling was in 1768

Rhymes for thrilling

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Browse Nearby Words

thrillful
thrilling
thrillingly
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Cite this Entry

“Thrilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrilling. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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