thrill

verb

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\ ˈthril

thrilled; thrilling; thrills

Definition of thrill

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 transitive : to cause (someone) to experience a strong feeling of enjoyable excitement The news thrilled him. a performance that thrilled the crowd It's just one of the 35 breathtaking stunts the 47-year-old daredevil pilot uses to thrill spectators at airshows across the country.— Jean Bryant — see also thrilled, thrilling

2 intransitive : to experience a surge of excitement and pleasure They thrilled to the sound of his voice. She remembers that her father thrilled to see his daughter's name in print …— David Ansen From the beginning, Americans thrilled to the Hubble's potential to do dramatic science, to take us intellectually where no one has gone before.— Chet Raymo Kit thrilled at the sight of the familiar red coats.— Elizabeth George Speare

3 intransitive, chiefly literary

a : to move or pass so as to cause a sudden wave of emotion … a faint cold fear thrills through my veins …— William Shakespeare

b : tremble entry 1, vibrate … the very rocks seem to thrill with life.— John Muir

thrill

noun

plural thrills

Definition of thrill (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a feeling of great excitement or happiness The thrill isn't gone from our marriage after all this time. the thrill of discovery/victory "The most fun thing I've done so far," [Dorothy] Parke reports, "is put my foot through a window. It was only breakaway glass; but it was my first stunt, and it gave me such a thrill."— Paul Francis

b : a tingling of or as if of the nerves produced by a sudden emotional reaction a thrill of horror a thrill of pride/pleasure/anticipation Harry felt a thrill of dread: He was about to pay for what had just happened, he was sure of it.— J. K. Rowling

2 : a very exciting or enjoyable event or experience What a thrill it was to see the Queen! a movie with a lot of thrills and chills [=exciting and frightening parts] the thrills and spills of skateboarding He had always fancied himself as having a fine voice, and now to hear it from his wife's own lips was a real thrill.— E. B. White

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about thrill

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Examples of thrill in a Sentence

Verb Circus performers still thrill audiences today. I was thrilled by their decision.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Water skis, wakeboards, and towable floats will thrill the kids. — Fran Golden, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Private Yacht Charters for Small Groups," 17 Mar. 2021 But a reader may thrill to the formalism of Alexander Pope on Monday and revel in the informality of Allen Ginsberg on Tuesday, engaging with the criticism that attaches itself to each. — James Campbell, WSJ, "Deconstruction, Identity and the Dying Art of Criticism," 19 Mar. 2021 The idea of plus-size teddies does not thrill every plus-size woman. — Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, "Girlfriend doesn’t want to hang with the nudes," 11 Mar. 2021 The idea of plus-size teddies does not thrill every plus-size woman. — Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, "Ask Amy: Girlfriend put off by loft apartment full of nude images," 11 Mar. 2021 Doncic’s return to Team LeBron is sure to thrill the Mavericks’ 22-year-old Slovenian prodigy. — Callie Caplan, Dallas News, "Mavs’ Luka Doncic drafted to Team LeBron for 2021 All-Star Game," 4 Mar. 2021 Hundreds of new vehicles will be displayed where Midway rides typically thrill fairgoers each summer. — Tim Harlow, Star Tribune, "In a first, Twin Cities Auto Show will be outdoors," 22 Feb. 2021 JetBlue Airways is shaking up its ticket perks and restrictions, with some changes that will thrill travelers and a major one that will infuriate plenty of passengers. — Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY, "JetBlue's cheapest tickets are getting cheaper but will come with a major catch: no carry-on bag allowed," 17 Feb. 2021 Wilkinson skillfully traces Leonard’s process as the novelist constructs the narratives that engage and thrill us. — Erin Overbey, The New Yorker, "Sunday Reading: Literary Portraits," 27 Dec. 2020

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

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Learn More about thrill

Dictionary Entries near thrill

thrilled to death/pieces

Statistics for thrill

Last Updated

6 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Thrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrill. Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for thrill

thrill

verb

English Language Learners Definition of thrill

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to cause (someone) to feel very excited or happy

: to feel very excited or happy about something

thrill

noun

English Language Learners Definition of thrill (Entry 2 of 2)

: a feeling of great excitement or happiness

: a very exciting or enjoyable event or experience

See the full definition for thrill in the English Language Learners Dictionary

thrill

verb

\ ˈthril

thrilled; thrilling

Kids Definition of thrill

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to have or cause to have a sudden feeling of excitement or pleasure

thrill

noun

Kids Definition of thrill (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a sudden strong feeling especially of excitement or happiness the thrill of victory … Harry felt a sudden thrill of foreboding.— J. K. Rowling, Goblet of Fire

2 : something that produces a feeling of excitement The boys went into town in search of thrills.

thrill

noun

\ ˈthril

Medical Definition of thrill

: an abnormal fine tremor or vibration in the respiratory or circulatory systems felt on palpation a continuous systolic and diastolic murmur, frequently associated with a thrill— R. L. Cecil & R. F. Loeb

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