euphoria

noun

eu·​pho·​ria yü-ˈfȯr-ē-ə 

: a feeling of well-being or elation

Apparently, it is the change in mood—the feeling of euphoria and reduced anxiety—that prompts people to start using this dangerous drug.

—Rita L. Atkinson et al.

They had almost a week to recover from the euphoria of Tuesday's series-winning victory …

—Clifton Brown

compare dysphoria

Did you know?

Euphoria Has Greek Roots

Health and happiness are often linked, sometimes even in etymologies. Nowadays euphoria generally refers to happiness, but it derives from euphoros, a Greek word that means "healthy." Given that root, it's not surprising that in its original English uses euphoria was a medical term. Its entry in an early 18th-century dictionary explains it as "the well-bearing of the Operation of a Medicine; that is, when the Sick Person finds himself eas'd or reliev'd by it." Modern physicians still use the term, but they aren't likely to prescribe something that will cause it. In contemporary medicine and psychology, euphoria can describe abnormal or inappropriate feelings such as those caused by an illicit drug or an illness.

Synonyms

• cloud nine
• ecstasy
• elatedness
• elation
• exhilaration
• heaven
• high
• intoxication
• paradise
• rapture
• rhapsody
• seventh heaven
• swoon
• transport

Examples of euphoria in a Sentence

The initial euphoria following their victory in the election has now subsided.

The drug produces intense feelings of euphoria.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the euphoria of a breakout offensive performance from quarterback KJ Jefferson and ace tailback Raheim Sanders did not make it through another weekend. —Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 18 Nov. 2023

Core personal-consumption expenditures price index inflation could damp the euphoria triggered in global markets by the latest U.S. price indexes, Santander Chief U.S. Economist Stephen Stanley writes in a note. —Wsj Pro, WSJ, 15 Nov. 2023

Additionally, the young women beautifully display the universal euphoria and anguish of stepping into a new phase in life while trying to learn as you. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 Oct. 2023

Denver Congrats to the champs, who moved up the list by sweeping the Lakers, with their fans riding a wave through the offseason fueled by euphoria from winning and venom from all the TV time spent on the Lakers. —Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2023

There’s an inevitable euphoria as the imprisoned anywhere break their chains and escape their incarceration. —Raja Shehadeh, The New York Review of Books, 28 Oct. 2023

There was this euphoria in the mid-to-late ’90s of peace, of a possible solution. —Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Sep. 2023

When consumed in higher doses or by individuals with low tolerance, Delta 8 can lead to feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and altered perception similar to what is commonly associated with THC. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023

Related: The 16 Best Tennis Bags of 2023 My trepidation had officially given way to euphoria. —Brittani Sonnenberg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek, from euphoros healthy, from eu- + pherein to bear — more at bear

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

euphoria

noun

eu·​pho·​ria yu̇-ˈfōr-ē-ə 

-ˈfȯr-

: a strong feeling of happiness

euphoric

-ˈfȯr-ik 

-ˈfär-

adjective

Medical Definition

euphoria

noun

eu·​pho·​ria yu̇-ˈfōr-ē-ə, -ˈfȯr- 

: a feeling of well-being or elation

especially : one that is groundless, disproportionate to its cause, or inappropriate to one's life situation compare dysphoria sense 1

euphoric

-ˈfȯr-ik, -ˈfär- 

adjective

euphorically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb