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

… 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

ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

an exhilaratingly funny performance

Synonyms

• breathtaking
• charged
• electric
• electrifying
• exciting
• exhilarative
• galvanic
• galvanizing
• hair-raising
• heart-stopping
• inspiring
• intoxicating
• kicky
• mind-bending
• mind-blowing
• mind-boggling
• rip-roaring
• rousing
• stimulating
• stirring
• thrilling

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

The first, an EP recorded with a big band, is an idea that came to them after an exhilarating concert with a big jazz ensemble. —Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024

Open 24/7, this club offers an exhilarating mix of entertainment, including live performances, DJs and even aerialists. —Jacob Wisda, Miami Herald, 4 June 2024

The resurgence of maximalism has opened the door for people to showcase outfits that are vibrant, daring, and wholly unique, offering a fresh, exhilarating perspective on self-expression. —Essence, 31 May 2024

Wildlife lovers, however, can book an exhilarating bear-viewing tour. —Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above