exhilarated

adjective

ex·​hil·​a·​rat·​ed ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-təd How to pronounce exhilarated (audio)
Synonyms of exhilaratednext
: very happy and excited or elated
As we stepped together in … well-schooled synchrony, I felt free and exhilarated. I felt competent and loved.—Natalie Angier
I found Pierre Gagnaire's food … so beautiful and so exciting that I grew increasingly exhilarated.—Gourmet
I knew I was tempting fate with my brinkmanship, but I was drawn by the danger and too exhilarated to stop.—Richard Bode

Synonyms of exhilarated

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Examples of exhilarated in a Sentence

the winner's exhilarated glow was seen in newspaper photographs around the globe
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dowling felt exhilarated and elated to see his pupil on top of the podium. — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026 Dunk seems at once exhilarated and overwhelmed. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 Andrew’s Nathan Saleh has rarely felt so exhilarated after making an out. — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026 The set dressing is messy and shadowy, and yet, performance-wise, Gaga has never seemed more exhilarated. — Chris Willman, Variety, 22 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exhilarated

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhilarated was in 1657

Rhymes for exhilarated

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Exhilarated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhilarated. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on exhilarated

Nglish: Translation of exhilarated for Spanish Speakers

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