exhilaration

noun

ig-ˌzi-lə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce exhilaration (audio)
Definition of exhilarationnext
1
as in thrill
a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings the lavish spectacle results in one exhilaration after another

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in ecstasy
a state of overwhelming usually pleasurable emotion the exhilaration of victory that spectators get to witness at the Olympic Games

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of exhilaration Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomáš Hertl roared in exhilaration. — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 2 June 2026 Only a few will experience the exhilaration of victory. — Peter Folan, Boston Herald, 23 May 2026 Nguyen tenderly captures the lightness, freedom and exhilaration of being in water and reigning over the waves, rules of gravity be damned. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 13 May 2026 Pumping iron, and apparently the exhilaration of combat, has got this 67-year-old plenty revved up. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for exhilaration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhilaration
  1. thrill
  2. ecstasy
  3. kick
  4. joy
  5. elation
  6. happiness
  7. euphoria
  8. heaven
Noun
  • Getting to actually live this dream for real is a one-of-one life experience, and the thrill of this type of adventure sets my heart on fire!
    — Terry Terrones, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Targeted at younger folks and beginners, all three promise proper dirt-bike thrills without the noise, fuel, or maintenance of an ICE motorcycle.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of thrill
Noun
  • The passage is eerily similar to Salinger’s own state of mind while in uniform, specifically on a day that should have evoked ecstasy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Such is the ecstasy, the agony, of judgment, which was never for their benefit.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of ecstasy
Noun
  • Smith did make an impact on special teams with a 57-yard kick return.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In a back-and-forth game that featured seven lead changes, Parker hit the second-biggest kick of his high school career to put the Rams back on top at the end.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of kick
Noun
  • Choose one small goal, keep it affordable, and let joy build through action.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Thank you for the memories, the friendship, and for bringing joy to generations of fans.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of joy
Noun
  • Fischer expressed pure elation while rounding the bases on the homer.
    — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • There’s the elation after finding a great idea, and then despair because no one’s going to talk to you, and then elation when people talk to you.
    — Longreads, Longreads, 23 July 2026
Definition of elation
Noun
  • Research has even found a positive relationship between higher income and reported happiness.
    — True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Being single again felt like a step backward, further away than ever from happiness.
    — Andrea Javor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of happiness
Noun
  • Money is inherently emotional, and many of the most consequential financial decisions occur during periods of uncertainty, fear or euphoria.
    — Alex Shahidi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Like most psychedelics, psilocybin’s effects are the result of interactions with a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain, which both triggers the characteristic hallucinations and euphoria and induces neural plasticity.
    — Mike McRae August 19, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of euphoria
Noun
  • And thanks to Tucson’s extraordinarily dark heavens, the Sonoran skyscape takes center stage with Peace Among the Stars.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Sounds like heaven to me, but your security posture mileage may vary!
    — Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of heaven

Browse Nearby Words

exhilarating
exhilaration
exhilarations
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Cite this Entry

“Exhilaration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhilaration. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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