thrilling

1 of 2

adjective

thrill·​ing ˈthri-liŋ How to pronounce thrilling (audio)
Synonyms of thrillingnext
: causing a feeling of great excitement or happiness
a thrilling discovery
a thrilling performance
… flashes into the end zone to give the Rams the winning touchdown in the most thrilling Super Bowl finish ever.—Rick Reilly
thrillingly
ˈthri-liŋ-lē How to pronounce thrilling (audio)
adverb
Who, in fact, are the good guys and who are the bad guys in the dramas that unfold here so thrillingly? —Marie Winn
… this is a powerful and thrillingly strange movie … —Terrence Rafferty

thrilling

2 of 2

present participle of thrill entry 1

Synonyms of thrilling

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Adjective

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Examples of thrilling in a Sentence

Adjective a thrilling adventure movie
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Both teams picked up pivotal wins last week, with the Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) upsetting rival Baylor 17-6, while the Mountaineers (4-3, 1-3) earned a thrilling, last-second 45-42 win over Cincinnati. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 As possibly the most thrilling option in the entire park, the free-fall station tests visitors’ bravery. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 The Braves and the rest of baseball will watch what’s expected to be a thrilling Fall Classic between the Brewers and Rays in the coming days. — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 22 Oct. 2026 The Miami Hurricanes, following a thrilling double-overtime win over the Florida State Seminoles, are at the top of the AP top 25 poll for the first time in 24 years. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thrilling

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1768, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrilling was in 1768

Rhymes for thrilling

See All Rhymes for thrilling

Browse Nearby Words

thrillful
thrilling
thrillingly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Thrilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrilling. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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