exhilarating

adjective

ex·​hil·​a·​rat·​ing ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ 

: causing strong feelings of happy excitement and elation : thrilling

an exhilarating experience

… an exhilarating ride that allows participants to catch an aerial view like they've never seen before.

—Kathryn M. Roy

… I would like to convey the sense of flight as it was almost at the very beginning of itself, when everything about it was miraculous and dangerous and exhilarating.

—James Dickey

… an exhilarating career full of deals sealed at three-martini lunches.

—Andrea Cooper

exhilaratingly

ig-ˈzi-lə-ˌrā-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

an exhilaratingly funny performance

Synonyms

• breathtaking
• charged
• electric
• electrifying
• exciting
• exhilarative
• galvanic
• galvanizing
• hair-raising
• heart-stopping
• inspiring
• intoxicating
• kicky
• mind-bending
• mind-blowing
• mind-boggling
• rip-roaring
• rousing
• stimulating
• stirring
• thrilling

Examples of exhilarating in a Sentence

no recording can capture the exhilarating feeling of being at a live rock concert

Recent Examples on the Web

This expansive and exhilarating retrospective, which traces Elizabeth Catlett’s remarkable life and career, places her radical politics front and center. —The New York Times, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025

Winter’s crisp air enhances the beauty of the rolling hills, making the climb a refreshing and exhilarating experience. —Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Jan. 2025

The process has been humbling yet exhilarating, bringing together key figures in the cannabis industry to empower and inspire. —Javier Hasse, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025

Ready for a brisk and exhilarating start to 2025? State of play: Join one of the region's many New Year's Day polar bear plunges or create your own to kick off the new year with a splash. —Christine Clarridge, Axios, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above