thrilling

1 of 2

adjective

thrill·​ing ˈthri-liŋ 

: causing a feeling of great excitement or happiness

a thrilling discovery

a thrilling performance

… flashes into the end zone to give the Rams the winning touchdown in the most thrilling Super Bowl finish ever.

—Rick Reilly

thrillingly

ˈthri-liŋ-lē 

adverb

Who, in fact, are the good guys and who are the bad guys in the dramas that unfold here so thrillingly?

—Marie Winn

… this is a powerful and thrillingly strange movie …

—Terrence Rafferty

thrilling

2 of 2

present participle of thrill entry 1

Synonyms of thrilling

Adjective

• exciting
• breathtaking
• interesting
• intriguing

Examples of thrilling in a Sentence

Adjective

a thrilling adventure movie

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That urgency has marked Holden’s prolific output—especially the thrilling first installment of his Supreme Magnetic series in 2025 and 2022’s Joe Frog—as the Harlem rapper uses his street-hustling past to paint an autobiographical portrait. — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026

Bringing its many moving parts together is an impressive feat — and makes for a thrilling night at the theater. — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Marceline Hugot, who plays Kathy Geiss, the mute daughter of GE’s boss Don Geiss, made a brief but thrilling appearance on trumpet. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

The 16-track set is a truly thrilling journey through the relentless ambition and restless psyche of a young Black woman who’s dedicated her life to navigating the notoriously tumultuous music industry. — Kyle Denis, Billboard, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1768, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thrilling

• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• filling
• grilling
• killing
• milling
• pilling
• rilling
• schilling
• shilling
• skilling