exhilaration

IPA/ɪɡˌzɪləˈreɪʃn/
KK[ɪɡzˌɪlɚˈeʃən]IPA/ɪɡˌzɪləˈreɪʃn/

exhilaration — noun

1. a strong rush of joyful excitement that makes you feel lively and full of energy

1.nounC1
Definition

a strong rush of joyful excitement that makes you feel lively and full of energy

Example

A wave of exhilaration hit Mayumi when she saw the test results.

collocation: a wave of exhilaration

The hikers cried out in exhilaration as the sun rose above the lake.

pattern: cry out in exhilaration

Common collocations
  • wave of exhilaration
  • sense of exhilaration
  • feel exhilaration
  • with exhilaration
Synonyms
  • excitement

    broader and more neutral; it does not always suggest the same joyful lift

  • joy

    warmer and calmer; it can be deep without the same physical rush

  • thrill

    often tied to a brief exciting moment, especially one with speed or danger

Antonyms
  • disappointment

    the feeling you have when events go worse than you hoped

  • sadness

    an unhappy emotional state rather than an uplifted one

Grammar Patterns

feel exhilaration

a wave of exhilaration

with exhilaration

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Often appears after words like feel or in phrases such as a wave of exhilaration when describing a sudden lift after success, speed, or good news.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Exhilaration is stronger and more energizing than ordinary excitement. Excitement can describe any lively feeling before or during an event, but exhilaration suggests a rush that lifts your whole body and mood. Joy is warmer and broader; you can feel joy quietly, while exhilaration usually carries motion, speed, victory, or sudden release. Euphoria is more extreme and can sound almost unreal, as if normal balance has disappeared. Thrill often points to a brief moment linked to risk or surprise, while exhilaration can also come from success, freedom, or beauty. You might feel excitement before a race, a thrill on the first drop, and exhilaration when you cross the finish line.

excitement ↗joy ↗euphoria ↗thrill ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • wave of exhilaration
  • sense of exhilaration
  • feeling of exhilaration

Phrases

  • cry out in exhilaration
  • jump with exhilaration

Prepositions

  • with exhilaration

Etymology

LatinLate LatinEnglish

Exhilaration comes from exhilarate, which English took from Late Latin exhilarare, meaning 'make cheerful' or 'gladden.' That Latin verb is linked to hilaris, meaning 'cheerful' or 'merry.' In English, the noun developed to name the lifted, lively feeling people get from success, speed, freedom, or other strongly joyful experiences.