exhilarate

[ ig-zil-uh-reyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ex·hil·a·rat·ed, ex·hil·a·rat·ing.

1. to enliven; invigorate; stimulate:

   The cold weather exhilarated the walkers.

   Synonyms: elate, inspirit, animate

   Antonyms: depress

2. to make cheerful or merry.

   Synonyms: gladden, cheer

   Antonyms: depress

exhilarate

/ ɪɡˈzɪləˌreɪt /

verb

1. tr to make lively and cheerful; gladden; elate

Derived Forms

• exˈhilarative, adjective
• exˌhilaˈration, noun

Other Words From

• ex·hila·rating·ly adverb
• ex·hila·rator noun
• unex·hila·rated adjective
• unex·hila·rating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exhilarate¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin exhilarātus, past participle of exhilarāre “to gladden,” equivalent to ex- “from, out of, beyond” + hilarāre “to cheer” ( hilarity ); ex- ¹, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of exhilarate¹

C16: from Latin exhilarāre, from hilarāre to cheer; see hilarious

Example Sentences

They were very big shoes to fill, but 110 goals and 75 assists for Chelsea had demonstrated Hazard's ability to consistently excite and exhilarate at the highest level.

From BBC

My hope is that the stories in our book can help you feel the wonder, passion and concern I have for fossils of all sizes, from microscopic forms up to the biggest dinosaurs; all have something to teach us and to exhilarate us.

From Seattle Times

Dramatic transformations from Saiyan to Super Saiyan — when a hero’s hair explodes into a luminous flare of yellow-gold, and their muscles swell and bulge outrageously — never fail to exhilarate, and recent advances in animation, which combine the style of classical anime illustrations with flourishes of computer-generated effects, have only made every punch, kick and superpowered kamehameha attack more vivid and spectacular.

From New York Times

Oakeshott understood in 1961 that modernity’s emancipation of the individual from the “warmth of communal pressures” did not exhilarate everyone.

From Washington Post

“Their goal was to thrill and exhilarate, not tear down the myths that Hollywood had created,” Brownstein said.

From New York Times

Related Words

• animate
• elate
• exalt
• excite
• thrill
• uplift