Standard Lemma guide

exhilaration

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 G Z IH2 L ER0 EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of enlivening the spirits; the act of making glad or cheerful; a gladdening.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The state of being enlivened, cheerful or exhilarated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: exaltation

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

the feeling of lively and cheerful joy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he could hardly conceal his excitement when she agreed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: excitement

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: joy, joyousness, joyfulness

Narrower terms: bang, boot, charge, rush, flush, thrill, kick, intoxication, titillation

History

Etymology

From exhilarate + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: ободряване (obodrjavane) — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • Bulgarian: развеселяване (razveseljavane) — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • German: Erheiterung — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • German: Aufheitern — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • German: Erheitern — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • German: Aufheiterung — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • Spanish: regocijo — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • Spanish: exhilaración — the act of enlivening the spirits
  • German: Heiterkeit — the state of being enlivened, cheerful or exhilarated
  • German: Euphorie — the state of being enlivened, cheerful or exhilarated
  • German: Aufgeheitertsein — the state of being enlivened, cheerful or exhilarated
  • Italian: euforia — the state of being enlivened, cheerful or exhilarated
  • Italian: eccitazione — the state of being enlivened, cheerful or exhilarated
  • Russian: оживле́ние (oživlénije) — the state of being enlivened, cheerful or exhilarated