thrilling

1 of 2

adjective

thrill·​ing ˈthri-liŋ 

: causing a feeling of great excitement or happiness

a thrilling discovery

a thrilling performance

… flashes into the end zone to give the Rams the winning touchdown in the most thrilling Super Bowl finish ever.

—Rick Reilly

thrillingly

ˈthri-liŋ-lē 

adverb

Who, in fact, are the good guys and who are the bad guys in the dramas that unfold here so thrillingly?

—Marie Winn

… this is a powerful and thrillingly strange movie …

—Terrence Rafferty

thrilling

2 of 2

present participle of thrill entry 1

Synonyms of thrilling

Adjective

• exciting
• breathtaking
• interesting
• intriguing

Examples of thrilling in a Sentence

Adjective

a thrilling adventure movie

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Its basement level, though, has a modern history all its own, where an improbable number of right-moment, right-time restaurants have operated since early last decade — including its latest, exceptionally thrilling occupant. — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

The players and coaches on the UCF football team have already experienced an emotional rollercoaster in this young season, with thrilling victories and a disappointing loss. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

Here are some images from another thrilling evening at Arrowhead. — Dominick Williams, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026

The final 100 pages are a thrilling, heart-stopping adventure in the New Mexico desert, picking up the pace with unexpected urgency and narrative anxiety. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1768, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for thrilling

• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• filling
• grilling
• killing
• milling
• pilling
• rilling
• schilling
• shilling
• skilling