thrilling

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

Synonyms of thrilling

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Examples of thrilling in a Sentence

a thrilling adventure movie
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Few things are as thrilling as staying in a hotel while on vacation. — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 4 July 2026 Tielemans then converted a penalty in the dying minutes of extra time to seal a thrilling 3-2 win. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 6 July 2026 For decades, Brazil has given fans one of the most thrilling styles of play — especially in high-stakes tournaments such as the World Cup. — Doha Madani, NBC news, 5 July 2026 These dots are just one of the thrilling mysteries that have emerged from JWST’s observations of the early universe. — Quanta Magazine, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for thrilling

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrilling was in 1768

Rhymes for thrilling

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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 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on thrilling

Nglish: Translation of thrilling for Spanish Speakers

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