exhilarating

adjective

ex·​hil·​a·​rat·​ing ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ How to pronounce exhilarating (audio)
: 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 adverb
an exhilaratingly funny performance

Examples of exhilarating in a Sentence

no recording can capture the exhilarating feeling of being at a live rock concert
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For the adventurous, cycling across the iconic bridge offers an exhilarating way to experience New York in motion. Malik Peay, USA Today, 24 May 2025 The Final Reckoning’] is whip-smart and razor-sharp, this tense eighth entry in one of the most exhilarating franchises of all time is another winner. Jack Dunn, Variety, 13 May 2025 For the most exhilarating fjord views, scale sheer rock faces and cross suspension bridges on via ferrata routes at Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay and Parc marin du Saguenay–Saint-Laurent. Bonjour Québec, AFAR Media, 22 Apr. 2025 Thanks to floor-to ceiling glass expanses, the exhilarating unobstructed water views encompass the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, city skyline, and Salesforce Park—every perspective designed to enchant and impress. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exhilarating

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhilarating was in 1634

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Cite this Entry

“Exhilarating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhilarating. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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