adrenaline rush

[ uh-dren-l-in ruhsh ]

noun

1. a sudden, intense feeling of exhilaration or excitement caused by or as if by a surge of adrenaline:

   It's the adrenaline rush and the intensity of the competition that I most look forward to.

   These folks eat, breathe, and sleep roller coasters and can never get enough of an adrenaline rush.

Word History and Origins

Origin of adrenaline rush¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

I started riding motorcycles a few years ago because I went through a breakup, and I think I needed a good adrenaline rush.

From Los Angeles Times

I feel like I’m on an adrenaline rush for four months while I play her, and when I’m finished I’m like, I now have to go back to my quiet, boring life.

From BBC

Approaching the 161st Street station, I felt an adrenaline rush in envisioning myself at batting practice talking with players and managers while surrounded by the hundreds of sports media people who were in New York for the first two games of this World Series.

From Los Angeles Times

Those early plays of a game help establish his aggressiveness and fuel his adrenaline rush.

From Los Angeles Times

Franka Potente’s electric locks in “Run Lola Run” are as intrinsic to the adrenaline rush of her sprint through Berlin as the film’s heart-racing electronic score.

From Seattle Times