Meaning & use
exhilarate
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Meaning
verbtransitive
To make someone feel very happy, excited, and full of energy.
Grammar: Takes an object: The news exhilarated us. Often used in the passive: We were exhilarated by the news.
Patterns
- exhilarate someone
- be exhilarated by something
- feel exhilarated
The roller coaster ride exhilarated the children.
She felt exhilarated after finishing the marathon.
The cold wind exhilarated him as he cycled downhill.
Word forms
| third person singular | exhilarates |
|---|---|
| past tense | exhilarated |
| past participle | exhilarated |
| present participle | exhilarating |
Common combinations
- be exhilarated by
- They were exhilarated by the victory.
- feel exhilarated
- He felt exhilarated after the skydive.
- exhilarating experience
- It was an exhilarating experience.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thrill
- Thrill is more common and often suggests a sudden wave of excitement; exhilarate is stronger and more formal.
- invigorate
- Invigorate means to give energy or strength, often physically; exhilarate focuses on exciting happiness.
Opposites
Word family
- exhilarating adjective
- Very exciting and making you feel happy and full of energy.
- exhilaration noun
- A feeling of great happiness and excitement.
Practice
The news of her promotion ______ her so much that she couldn't stop smiling.
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'exhilarated' fits because the sentence is about a past event. 'Exhilarating' is an adjective or present participle and would need a different structure; 'exhilaration' is a noun; 'exhilarates' is present tense and doesn't match the past time.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exhilarate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.