thrill

verb \ ˈthril \

Definition of thrill

transitive verb

1 a : to cause to experience a sudden sharp feeling of excitement

the news thrilled him

b : to cause to have a shivering or tingling sensation

2 : to cause to vibrate or tremble perceptibly

intransitive verb

1 : to become thrilled:

a : to experience a sudden sharp excitement

b : tingle, throb

2 : to move or pass so as to cause a sudden wave of emotion

3 : tremble, vibrate

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thrill

noun

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thrillingly

play \ˈthri-liŋ-lē\ adverb

See thrill defined for English-language learners

See thrill defined for kids

Examples of thrill in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of thrill from the Web

The series will thrill you, move you and, so often, reduce you to tears, as every episode is filled to overflowing with inexorable sadness, nobility and truth.

— david wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, "Nat Geo’s magnificent, heartbreaking ‘Long Road Home’," 2 Nov. 2017
Being able to be part of Brunnhilde’s saga from beginning to end, experiencing her every emotion, has been thrilling.

— john von rhein, chicagotribune.com, "How the Lyric Opera plans to take on 5 hours of Wagner's epic 'Die Walkure'," 31 Oct. 2017
Some facts and figures in the wake of the Astros’ thrilling 13-12, 10-inning victory over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series early Monday morning.

— Houston Chronicle, "Astros 13, Dodgers 12: Game 5 facts and figures," 30 Oct. 2017
But the Seahawks professed to be thrilled to get him for a one-year deal worth up to $8 million and are counting on Joeckel to solidify the left side of the offensive line.

— seattle times staff, The Seattle Times, "Here are five Seahawks to watch this season," 7 Sep. 2017
Tournament directors Rory Kam and Victoria Burgess were thrilled with the turnout of over 80 competitors in a 6.4-mile long course, 3.2-mile short course, sprint races, tandem races and a kids race.

— emmett hall, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Sunshine Stand-Up Paddle Series stirs up the surf off Pompano Beach," 3 Sep. 2017
At summer's end, when consulting projects are complete, clients are thrilled with the results.

— alex hills, Alaska Dispatch News, "‘Geeks on a mission’ take best of America abroad," 24 July 2017
Millennial hearts will thrill with nostalgia at this Pokémon ball gearshift.

— dan neil, WSJ, "Garage Fever: 9 Car Projects and Easy Auto Tweaks," 26 Oct. 2017
Not every bride would be thrilled with the idea of being upstaged by a wedding guest.

— tammy la gorce, New York Times, "From a Cairo Prison to a Poignant Wedding," 8 Sep. 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of thrill

Middle English thirlen, thrillen to pierce, from Old English thyrlian, from thyrel hole, from thurh through — more at ¹through

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1592

See Words from the same year

thrill Synonyms

Synonyms

charge, electrify, excite, exhilarate, galvanize, intoxicate, pump up, titillate, turn on;

Near Antonyms

bore, jade, pall, tire, weary;

deject, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit;

bewitch, captivate, charm, delight, enchant, enthrall (or enthral), hypnotize, mesmerize, rivet, spellbind;

interest, intrigue, tantalize;

THRILL Defined for English Language Learners

thrill

verb

Definition of thrill for English Language Learners

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

THRILL Defined for Kids

thrill

verb \ ˈthril \

Definition of thrill for Students

thrilled; thrilling

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

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thriller

noun

History for thrill

In the 1300s a person who was thrilled might not live long enough to tell about it, because the Middle English verb thrillen—the ancestor of our word thrill—meant literally “to pierce” or “stab,” as with a sword or spear. Thrillen was a variant of thirlen, which continued Old English thyrlian, derived from thyrel, “hole.” (The word thyrel also entered into Old English nosthyrl, literally, “nose hole,” the ancestor of modern English nostril.) Because the feeling of being pierced is a little like the experience of being moved by a strong emotion, thrill came to mean “to cause someone to feel excited.”