What does thrilled mean?
Thrilled is an adjective meaning extremely pleased, delighted, or excited. It is commonly used to describe a person’s reaction to welcome news, an achievement, an invitation, or an unexpected success, as in “She was thrilled with the response.” The word often conveys a warm, personal sense of enthusiasm and is frequently intensified by adverbs such as “absolutely” or “really.” In British English, the phrase “thrilled to bits” is a familiar informal expression. Historically, thrill developed from a word associated with piercing or making a hole, and its meaning gradually shifted toward a sudden surge of excitement and intense emotional pleasure. Today, “thrilled” is especially useful when the speaker wants to express strong but positive excitement rather than a measured or formal evaluation.
adjectiveFeeling or expressing intense pleasure, delight, or excitement. It can also mean intensely excited or pleased by something.
- Feeling or expressing intense pleasure, delight, or excitement.
- Experiencing a strong emotional response, especially excitement, in response to an event or piece of news.
"She was thrilled to hear that her brother had arrived safely."
"I was absolutely thrilled to see the old photographs again."
"The audience was thrilled with the unexpected result."
What began as a word connected with piercing a hole now captures one of the most recognizable feelings of human joy: being thrilled.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does thrilled come from?
Thrilled is the past-participle and adjectival form of thrill. The word comes through Middle English from an Old English verb associated with piercing or making a hole. Its original sense developed metaphorically into a feeling of sudden excitement and then into the modern meanings of intense pleasure, delight, and enthusiasm. The same root underlies related forms such as thrill, thrills, and thrilling.
Related word forms
How thrilled is actually used
The word is common in both formal and informal English, but it is especially frequent in personal, social, and conversational contexts. “Thrilled to bits” is an especially familiar British expression meaning extremely delighted. In some contexts, “thrilled” can sound enthusiastic but somewhat less emotionally restrained than “delighted.”