adrenaline

noun

adren·a·line | \ ə-ˈdre-nə-lən

Definition of adrenaline

: epinephrine

Note: Adrenaline is used in both technical and nontechnical contexts. It is commonly used in describing the physiological symptoms (such as increased heart rate and respiration) that occur as part of the body's fight-or-flight response to stress, as when someone is in a dangerous, frightening, or highly competitive situation, as well as the feelings of heightened energy, excitement, strength, and alertness associated with those symptoms. In figurative use, it suggests a drug that provides something with a jolt of useful energy and stimulation.

He felt a rush of adrenaline as he parachuted from the airplane. The fans were jubilant, raucous, their adrenaline running high.— W. P. Kinsella My reputation was as a single-day racer; show me the start line and I would win on adrenaline and anger, chopping off my competitors one by one.— Lance Armstrong London's summer antiques scene has been given a massive injection of adrenaline. — Town and Country

Examples of adrenaline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Playing a blistering rock and blues hybrid, Ducoff and his band will get the adrenaline flowing early in the evening. — Chip Mccabe, courant.com, "The Rose Arts Festival: Music all day, music all night, and so much in between. All of it free.," 24 June 2019 Naturally, there are lots of video monitors, too, as Azeez’s plot involves a jaded documentarian named Roberta (Lee Gerstenhaber), who stumbles into the crisis and rides the adrenaline to a heightened sense of purpose. — Nelson Pressley, Washington Post, "D.C. sniper case is the frame for ‘Forest Treás,’ an experimental show about media," 11 June 2019 The eye-poppingly imaginative costumes and the energy and love shown by 90,000 spectators mirrors the adrenaline of the runway. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, "Hamish Bowles Sambas His Way Through Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval," 22 Mar. 2019 The gulf between the two programs was evident once the early adrenaline wore off and Williamson went to work. — Will Graves, The Seattle Times, "Williamson scores 25, No. 2 Duke shuts down Pitt 79-64," 22 Jan. 2019 Delahunty agreed, saying once the adrenaline subsides from a rescue, the reality of fellow Carolinians’ condition really tugs on his heartstrings. — Emilie Ikeda, Fox News, "Florence hits home for Coast Guard members from North Carolina," 18 Sep. 2018 Actually, adrenaline is the most important antidote to treat anaphylaxis. — Ronald S. Litman, Philly.com, "Should I worry about my child being allergic to anesthesia?," 9 July 2018 The adrenaline is undeniable, and even when things get a little sketchy, there's always Del Toro. — Bill Goodykoontz, azcentral, "'Sicario: Day of the Soldado' lacks ambition of the original," 28 June 2018 For Dudley, and more than 100 other drivers like him, these ice races are the ultimate adrenaline rush. — Gregory Leporati, Ars Technica, "Racing’s not just for rich guys—a look at the American grassroots scene," 13 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'adrenaline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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6 Jul 2019

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The first known use of adrenaline was in 1890

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More Definitions for adrenaline

adrenaline

noun

English Language Learners Definition of adrenaline

: a substance that is released in the body of a person who is feeling a strong emotion (such as excitement, fear, or anger) and that causes the heart to beat faster and gives the person more energy

See the full definition for adrenaline in the English Language Learners Dictionary

adrenaline

noun

adren·a·line | \ ə-ˈdre-nə-lən