What does exhilarating mean?
Exhilarating is an adjective used to describe something that produces a powerful feeling of joy, excitement, and renewed energy. An exhilarating experience — a fast descent on skis, a triumphant performance, a sudden burst of creative inspiration — is one that thrills and invigorates rather than merely entertains. The word carries an unambiguously positive connotation and is stronger than "exciting," implying an almost physical rush of elation. It derives from the Latin exhilarare, "to make cheerful," formed from hilaris, meaning glad or merry — the same root that gives us "hilarious." Because of this, exhilarating is etymologically linked to cheerfulness as much as to thrill. Commonly applied to adventures, sports, art, and moments of freedom, it is a favorite of travel writers and critics alike. Its noun form, exhilaration, names the uplifting state itself, and the verb exhilarate means to fill someone with high spirits.
adjectiveMaking one feel very happy, animated, or elated; thrillingly invigorating.
- Making someone feel extremely happy, excited, and full of energy; thrillingly stimulating (of an experience, activity, or feeling).
"The exhilarating rush of wind on the open mountain road left her grinning for miles."
"Swimming with dolphins in the open sea was an absolutely exhilarating experience."
"The novel's final chapters deliver an exhilarating pace that leaves the reader breathless."
"Exhilarating" literally means "making you cheerful" — it comes from the same Latin root as "hilarious," so a hilarious joke and an exhilarating ride are, etymologically speaking, close cousins.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exhilarating
Exhilarating comes from the Latin verb exhilarare, meaning "to make cheerful or gladden," which combines the intensive prefix ex- with hilaris, "cheerful, merry." English adopted the verb exhilarate in the early 17th century, and the present participle exhilarating came to function as an adjective meaning "thrillingly invigorating." The same Latin root hilaris underlies "hilarious" and "hilarity," making them true cognates of exhilarating.
Related word forms
How exhilarating is actually used
Exhilarating is almost always positive and strongly connotes intense physical or emotional stimulation — speed, height, danger, freedom, or discovery. It is slightly more elevated in register than plain "exciting." It typically describes experiences rather than people; a person is more often described as "exhilarated" (the feeling) than "exhilarating" (the cause), though the latter occurs.
Easily confused with exhilarating
Exhalation refers to the act of breathing out, while exhilarating describes something that makes you feel thrilled and elated.