exhilarating
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
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
James Dickey… an exhilarating career full of deals sealed at three-martini lunches.—Andrea Cooper
Andrea CooperExamples of exhilarating in a Sentence
no recording can capture the exhilarating feeling of being at a live rock concert
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, when my plane’s turn came, the takeoff was as exhilarating as ever—the low rumble and rising thrum, the smooth detachment and sudden lift, and then the surge through clouds into a piercing blue sky.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
In the realm of Rocky Mountain resorts, none can rival Fernie Alpine Resort's knee-deep powder skiing in expansive bowls (Curry Bowl is my favorite) and the exhilarating experience of navigating snow-laden tree runs.
—Jonny Bierman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Take a closer look at the United States women’s hockey team’s comeback victory against Canada, which will go down as one of the most exhilarating endings in Olympic history.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Toward the end, people grab partners and race around the ballroom in a gallop through a tunnel of arms, an exhilarating experience—especially in heels—that leaves the heart pumping and the quads sore for days.
—Valeriya Safronova, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
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Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
In the realm of Rocky Mountain resorts, none can rival Fernie Alpine Resort's knee-deep powder skiing in expansive bowls (Curry Bowl is my favorite) and the exhilarating experience of navigating snow-laden tree runs.
—Jonny Bierman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Take a closer look at the United States women’s hockey team’s comeback victory against Canada, which will go down as one of the most exhilarating endings in Olympic history.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Toward the end, people grab partners and race around the ballroom in a gallop through a tunnel of arms, an exhilarating experience—especially in heels—that leaves the heart pumping and the quads sore for days.
—Valeriya Safronova, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exhilarating
Cite this Entry
“Exhilarating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhilarating. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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