What does exulted mean?
Exulted is the simple past tense of the verb "exult," meaning to feel or express overwhelming joy or triumph, particularly in response to a success, victory, or piece of good news. The word carries an intensity that ordinary terms like "happy" or "pleased" lack: to have exulted is to have rejoiced openly and exuberantly, whether by cheering, celebrating publicly, or simply radiating elation. It is most common in formal or literary writing, especially sports reporting, historical narrative, and political commentary — one might read that supporters exulted after an election result, or that a scientist exulted upon confirming a breakthrough. Grammatically it usually appears with the prepositions "in" (emphasizing the emotion), "over" (stressing triumph), or "at" (introducing its cause). Etymologically rich and vivid, "exulted" derives from Latin exsilire, "to leap out," evoking the image of literally leaping for joy, which gives the word an energetic, almost physical quality that more neutral synonyms cannot match.
verbPast tense of "exult": to show or feel great joy or triumph, especially about a success or victory.
- To rejoice greatly or show triumphant joy, especially over a success or victory (e.g. 'She exulted at her acceptance letter.')
"The fans exulted in their team's long-awaited championship win."
"The crowd exulted as the final goal sealed their team's first title in decades."
"'We did it!' she exulted, waving the signed contract overhead."
Exulted literally contains the idea of leaping for joy — it comes from Latin exsilire, 'to leap out', the same root that gives us 'salient' and even 'somersault'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exulted
"Exulted" comes from the Latin verb exsilire (also exsultare), meaning "to leap out" or "to spring up," formed from ex- ("out") plus salire ("to leap"). The word passed into English via French in the early modern period, retaining its sense of jubilant, almost physical rejoicing. It shares this leaping root with words such as "salient," "resilient," and "somersault," all descendants of Latin salire.
How exulted is actually used
"Exulted" is somewhat formal or literary in register and carries a connotation of intense, often public or vocal joy — stronger than mere happiness. It is typically followed by the prepositions "in", "over", or "at" depending on nuance: "in" emphasizes the feeling itself, "over" stresses triumph at someone's expense or a contest's outcome, and "at" introduces the cause of the joy.
Easily confused with exulted
"Exalted" means raised to a high rank or held in lofty esteem, while "exulted" means rejoiced greatly or triumphed.