exhilarate
/ɪɡˈzɪləreɪt
/ /ɛɡˈzɪləreɪt/verb [with object]
Make (someone) feel very happy, animated, or elated: she was exhilarated by the day’s events (as adjective exhilarated) all this hustle and bustle makes me feel exhilarated...
- Though he was aware that the experience might kill him, he was also exhilarated to embark on his great Alaskan odyssey.
- I was exhilarated by my ability to maneuver the steep climb.
- I was exhilarated to roll these subjects around in my mind like marbles in my hand, and play with their arrangement.
Synonyms
thrill, excite, intoxicate;
elate, make someone's spirits soar, make very happy, give someone great pleasure, delight, gladden, brighten, cheer up, enliven, animate, invigorate, energize, lift, stimulate, raise someone's spirits, revitalize, refresh
informal give someone a kick, give someone a thrill, give someone a buzz, turn someone on
North American informal give someone a charge
rare inspirit
thrilling, exciting, intoxicating, heady, stimulating, invigorating, electrifying, energizing, uplifting, enlivening, revitalizing, vitalizing, stirring, breathtaking;
refreshing, bracing
informal mind-blowing
Derivatives
exhilarative
exhilarant
Origin
Mid 16th century: from Latin exhilarat- 'made cheerful', from the verb exhilarare, from ex- (expressing inducement of a state) + hilaris 'cheerful'.
This is from Latin exhilarare ‘make cheerful’, based on hilaris ‘cheerful’ source of hilarity (Late Middle English).