exhilarating

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​hil·​a·​rat·​ing ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ 

: 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

ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

an exhilaratingly funny performance

exhilarating

2 of 2

present participle of exhilarate

Synonyms of exhilarating

Adjective

• exciting
• breathtaking
• thrilling
• interesting
• intriguing

Examples of exhilarating in a Sentence

Adjective

no recording can capture the exhilarating feeling of being at a live rock concert

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Meanwhile, winter kayaking is an exhilarating option for milder winters. — Isabelle Kliger, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026

When Trent Mosley took a screen pass straight through the heart of Ohio State's defense for an exhilarating touchdown on the second snap, Southern California realized something special might be brewing on Halloween night. — CBS News, 1 Nov. 2026

No one wants to miss an outing and nearly everyone is tired from the day’s exhilarating activities. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026

The busiest day of the World Cup was the city’s final match day on July 11, when Argentina beat Switzerland in an exhilarating quarterfinal that went to extra time. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1634, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for exhilarating

• accelerating
• accentuating
• accommodating
• accumulating
• adjudicating
• administrating
• affiliating
• agglutinating
• alienating
• alleviating
• amalgamating
• ameliorating