Exhilaration
/ɪɡˌzɪləˈreɪʃən/
nounC1
Definition
Exhilaration means feeling very happy, excited, and full of energy. It is a strong and lively emotion that often happens after something fun or thrilling. This feeling makes you feel alive and joyful inside.
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See It in Action
A strong feeling of happiness and excitement
- •She felt exhilaration after finishing the difficult race.
- •The children screamed with exhilaration on the playground.
- •Traveling to a new country gave him a sense of exhilaration.
The lively and energetic mood caused by fun or thrilling experiences
- •The exhilaration of the concert made the crowd jump and dance.
- •There was a clear exhilaration in the air after the team won the championship.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'exhilaration' like 'happy,' but much stronger and more exciting—like happiness with energy
- ✓Picture the moment when you ride a fast roller coaster and your heart beats fast with joy and thrill
- ✓It's the feeling when you win a game or get good news and you want to jump or shout with happiness
- ✓Sounds like 'ex-hill-a-RAY-shun' → imagine climbing a hill and shouting 'Hooray!' at the top because you feel great
- ✓Think of a sports winner holding a trophy, smiling widely with energy and excitement
- ✓NOT like 'calm' or 'peaceful' (quiet feelings), exhilaration is loud, energetic, and full of life
- ✓NOT like 'pleasure' (a gentle feeling), exhilaration is stronger and more active, like excitement on top of happiness
Try Other Words
- •Excitement: strong feeling of happiness and energy (Use when the feeling is more about being active and eager)
- •Thrill: a sudden strong feeling of excitement (Use when the feeling comes from something fast or surprising)
- •Happiness: general feeling of being happy (Use in everyday situations, less intense than exhilaration)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix 'ex-' (out), root 'hilare' (Latin for cheerful), suffix '-ation' (a noun form)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'exhilarare,' meaning to make cheerful or lively
- •Historical development: First used in English in the 1600s to describe making someone happy or lively
- •Modern usage: Used to describe strong feelings of joy and excitement, often after fun or energetic activities
Reflect & Connect
•What moments in your life have given you a feeling of exhilaration? How did your body and mind react?
•How is exhilaration different from just feeling happy or calm? Can you think of times when exhilaration might not be good?
Fill in the blanks
1.After winning the race, she was filled with exhilaration and could ___ hardly stop smiling.
2.The exhilaration of the roller coaster ride made his heart ___ very fast.
3.Unlike calm happiness, exhilaration is a ___ feeling full of energy and excitement.
4.People often feel exhilaration when they ___ something new or exciting for the first time.
5.The crowd's exhilaration after the concert made everyone ___ and cheer loudly.
6.You can feel exhilaration ___ doing sports or activities that are fast and thrilling.
7.When someone feels exhilaration, they usually want to ___ or shout because of their strong joy.