exhilarate

verb ex·hil·a·rate \ ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrāt \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

Definition of exhilarate

exhilarated; exhilarating

transitive verb

1 : to make cheerful and excited : enliven, elate

was exhilarated by her success

2 : refresh, stimulate

—

exhilaratingly

play \ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ-lē\ adverb

—

exhilarative

play \ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiv\ adjective

See exhilarate defined for English-language learners

See exhilarate defined for kids

exhilarate was our Word of the Day on 12/27/2013. Hear the podcast!

Examples of exhilarate in a Sentence

the exhilarating feeling of flying that hang gliding offers
the climactic moment of commencement ceremonies usually exhilarates graduates and proud parents alike

Recent Examples of exhilarate from the Web

The introduction of the new Lexus LC performance coupe is a significant illustration of Lexus' dedication to create cars with exciting, emotional designs and exhilarating performance.

— jeff yip, Houston Chronicle, "Fast and luxurious: Lexus LC 500 is 2018’s Car of Texas," 21 Apr. 2018
Borussia Dortmund manager Peter Stöger is fearful that star striker Michy Batshuayi suffered a season-ending injury against Schalke 04 on Sunday, as the Black and Yellows suffered a 2-0 defeat in an exhilarating Revierderby.

— SI.com, "Peter Stoger Rues 'Individual Errors' in Defeat at Schalke & Admits Fears Over Batshuayi Injury," 16 Apr. 2018
Sheepshead is really fascinating — I’ve always been exhilarated by being in immigrant communities, seeing different cultures colliding and interacting.

— alexis swerdloff, The Cut, "The Historian Who Loves Architecture," 15 Apr. 2018
By leaning into and toying with that fundamental relationship, indie game Minit achieves something that feels referential and nostalgic and yet unique and exhilarating all at once.

— nick statt, The Verge, "Minit is a beautifully crafted love letter to classic games and the art of death," 7 Apr. 2018
In 2016, some 60,000 fans poured into the city to celebrate Villanova’s exhilarating win over North Carolina, the team’s first national title since 1985.

— anna orso, Philly.com, "Jay Wright and Villanova Wildcats parade down Market Street, staking claim as Philly icons," 5 Apr. 2018
There’s just something about broadcast, especially live commentary, that’s exhilarating.

— rose minutaglio, Cosmopolitan, "Tara Lipinski's Life After Gold," 13 Feb. 2018
In ’71, the future of space flight was exhilarating.

— marc myers, WSJ, "Bernie Taupin Tells the Story Behind 1972’s ‘Rocket Man’," 4 Apr. 2018
Equally exhilarating for Baldwin is the frequent discovery of new species in the region, which continues apace to this day and is only likely to ramp up as the team takes Curasub on field trips further and further from the Curaçao mainland.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "How a Team of Submersible-Bound Scientists Redefined Reef Ecosystems," 28 Mar. 2018

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

Did You Know?

Many people find "exhilarate" a difficult word to spell. It's easy to forget that silent "h" in there, and is it an "er" or "ar" after the "l"? It may be easier to remember the spelling if you know that "exhilarate" is ultimately derived from the Latin adjective hilarus, meaning "cheerful." (This also explains why the earliest meaning of "exhilarate" is "to make cheerful.") "Exhilarate" comes from "exhilaratus," the past participle of "exhilarare," which is formed by combining ex- and hilarare, a verb that derives from "hilarus" and means "to cheer or gladden." If "hilarus" looks familiar, that may be because it's also the source of "hilarious" and "hilarity" (as well as "hilariously" and "hilariousness," of course).