exhilarating

adjective

ex·​hil·​a·​rat·​ing ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ How to pronounce exhilarating (audio)
: causing strong feelings of happy excitement and elation : thrilling
an exhilarating experience
… an exhilarating ride that allows participants to catch an aerial view like they've never seen before.Kathryn M. Roy
… I would like to convey the sense of flight as it was almost at the very beginning of itself, when everything about it was miraculous and dangerous and exhilarating.James Dickey
… an exhilarating career full of deals sealed at three-martini lunches.Andrea Cooper
exhilaratingly adverb
an exhilaratingly funny performance

Examples of exhilarating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Few things can be more exhilarating than starting one's own business and building a brand from scratch. Jay Cohen, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The most exhilarating moment of the four-hour route, crossing a 50-foot monkey bridge with only a thin cable underfoot, comes right before the summit, when the panoramic views of the alpine landscape are at their best. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 Bentley Flying Spur Speed More than any other legacy automaker, 105-year-old Bentley has not only stayed relevant but continues to find exhilarating ways to pair traditional automotive craftsmanship with contemporary performance-driving dynamics. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024 However, each extraneous segment eventually converges in some of the most exhilarating and cathartic on-screen violence Indian cinema has to offer. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 22 Dec. 2023 My mother would love Caitlin Clark! Clark, of course, is the basketball phenomenon who is electrifying fans across the country with her deadeye 3-point shooting, mind-blowing passing and exhilarating team play. Susan Koch, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2024 For her, the challenges associated in collaborating with newer women auteurs is exhilarating and gratifying as well. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 During the one-hour performance, attendees had the opportunity to witness a familiar tale told through exhilarating circus acts. Josh Rivera, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2024 Even a small side table or red lamp can introduce this exhilarating color into a neutral decor and brighten your winter days. Vicki Payne, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exhilarating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhilarating was in 1634

Dictionary Entries Near exhilarating

Cite this Entry

“Exhilarating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhilarating. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on exhilarating

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!