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to exhilarate

to exhilarate

12 6.9
To make someone feel very happy and full of energy
  • verb
  • /ɪɡˈzɪləˌreɪt/
translation icon : entusiasmar
  • After riding the rollercoaster, I felt exhilarated and couldn't stop smiling.

Examples

  • After the rehearsal, I felt exhilarated.

  • Following Augustine's entrance into the Tiger Bar, Romy and Augustine held an extended, exhilarated reunion.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • You wanna feel exhilarated by this whole process.

  • Scared at first, then, exhilarated.

  • I feel safe, so safe, and yet exhilarated by a remote sense of risk.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time.

  • After the shock and embarrassment of his exchange with the night manager, Chris felt exhilarated.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Putting dawn at her back, she headed for home, drained and exhilarated.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Wet and breathless, Wilma was exhilarated by the triumph.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • I was pleasantly drained yet exhilarated at our afternoon's adventure as I walked to my lodgings at number seventeen.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to excite
vsto exhilarate
331 2.7

To make someone feel very happy, interested, or eager

is specifically about lively joyful animation rather than broad stimulation
to thrill
vsto exhilarate
201 2.1

To give a sudden strong feeling of excitement and pleasure

is generally more sustained and animated rather than only sudden
to delight
vsto exhilarate
79 2.1

To please someone very much

adds a brighter, more energetic excitement rather than gentle pleasure
to overjoy
vsto exhilarate
21 4.1

Make someone very happy

focuses more on lively, animated energy rather than pure overwhelming joy
to elate
vsto exhilarate
19 6.4

To make someone feel very happy and proud

is more about lively, energetic excitement rather than proud calm joy
to electrify
vsto exhilarate
14 4.1

To make people feel very excited and want to act

is more about cheerful lively animation rather than sharp sudden shock
to enthuse
vsto exhilarate
7 5.5

To make someone feel excited about something

is broader, creating general lively happiness rather than focused enthusiasm
to enrapture
vsto exhilarate
  • Literature
6 7.8

To make someone feel very happy and amazed

creates lively, active excitement rather than deep passive captivation
to exalt
vsto exhilarate
  • Literature
6 8.1

To make someone feel very happy and inspired

leans more toward lively animated excitement rather than noble elevation
to intoxicate
vsto exhilarate
4 7.0

To make someone feel very excited and happy

is livelier and more energetic rather than broadly uplifting emotion
to inebriate
vsto exhilarate
  • Literature
1 9.9

To make someone feel very happy or excited

is more immediate and everyday energetic excitement rather than literary rush
to set pulses racing
vsto exhilarate
  • Informal
1 6.0

To make someone feel very excited, often suddenly

tends to be more vivacious and sustained rather than only sudden thrill
to tickle pink
vsto exhilarate
  • Informal
1 6.3

Feel very happy and amused by something someone does

is a stronger, more energetic joy rather than light informal pleasure

Antonyms

257 3.5

To try to stop something by making people less willing to do it

32 4.1

To make someone feel sad and lose hope

How Excited

to thrill
201 2.1
to exhilarate
12 6.9
to delight
79 2.1
to cheer
392 1.0
to gladden
1 3.5
to please
216 1.0

Surface Forms

exhilarate infinitive
exhilarated past participle
exhilarating present participle
exhilarates third person singular

Morphology

exhilarate = hilar (semi-transparent) = ex + hilar + ate

The prefix 'ex-' intensifies the root 'hilar', but the specific meaning of 'exhilarate' as 'to make someone feel very happy or excited' is not fully transparent.

Etymology

Exhilarate comes from the parts ex- meaning 'thoroughly' and hilar meaning 'cheerful', the same root you see in hilarious. So, to exhilarate someone is to make them very happy and full of lively energy.