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Exult leaped into English in the 16th century as a verb meaning "to leap for joy." George Chapman used it that way in a translation of Homer's Iliad: "To drive his chariot through the waves. From whirl pits every way the whales exulted under him," he interprets. This use of the verb skipped around in English until the 18th century, when it gracefully exited the everyday lexicon, leaving the verb's other meaning—"to be extremely joyful; to rejoice"—to stay the course. Exult springs from Latin saltare ("to leap"), also the source of saltation, a word for leaping as well as dancing. Another etymological cousin of exult is sally, meaning "to leap out" or "to set out," as in "After the storm passed, the hikers sallied forth."
Examples of exult in a Sentence
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2026
And then there was CMAT, the Irish singer who has already become a European sensation, exulting in a sensational reception for her mainstage set at GJWW, which some attendees went online to cite as the most thrilling full-length performance of the weekend.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
The whoop, the sound of exulting Moby-Dick nuts, goes raggedly around the galleries and hallways of the museum.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
To watch her extraordinary third feature is to exult in the obvious fact that Fastvold is one of them.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exult
Cite this Entry
“Exult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exult. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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