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

The sun in Sagittarius is forming an auspicious sextile with Pluto in Aquarius on Nov. 21, leading us toward an exhilarating period of expansion and transformation. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024

This abrasive, exhilarating yet downbeat atmosphere was symbolized by a courtesy to the audience members: The management left a tub of bright orange earplugs near the door to prepare you for the emotional electric onslaught. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Dec. 2024

However, despite the exhilarating pace of his professional life, Barrera is embracing a new personal development: fatherhood. —Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024

Monaco Monaco may be known for its glamorous casino and exhilarating Grand Prix, but the world’s second-smallest country (after Vatican City) offers other reasons to visit. —Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above