Definition

1. Verb:
   • To cause (someone) to feel very happy, animated, or elated; to fill with lively and cheerful excitement or energy.
   • To invigorate or stimulate someone's spirits.

Usage

The verb "exhilarate" is transitive, meaning it requires a direct object (the person or thing being exhilarated). It describes the action of making someone feel intensely joyful and full of energy. It is often used in contexts involving exciting experiences, achievements, or natural beauty.

Examples

• The breathtaking view from the mountain top exhilarated the hikers.
• Winning the championship exhilarated the entire team.
• She felt exhilarated by the speed of the race car. (Here, "exhilarated" is the past participle used as an adjective describing her state.)
• The fresh, cold air exhilarates me every morning.

Advanced Usage

• To be exhilarated by/at something: This is a common passive construction describing the state of feeling exhilarated.
  • He was exhilarated by the news of his promotion.
  • They were exhilarated at the thought of the adventure.

Variants and Related Words

• Exhilarating (adjective): Causing feelings of excitement and happiness.
  • The roller coaster ride was an exhilarating experience.
• Exhilaration (noun): A feeling of great happiness and excitement.
  • She felt a sense of exhilaration after completing the marathon.

Synonyms

• Thrill: To cause someone to feel a sudden intense feeling of excitement.
• Elate: To make someone ecstatically happy.
• Invigorate: To give strength or energy to.
• Enliven: To make something more interesting or lively.

Antonyms

• Depress: To make someone feel utterly dispirited or dejected.
• Dispirit: To cause someone to lose enthusiasm or hope.
• Bore: To make someone feel weary and uninterested.

Idioms and Phrases

• Exhilarating pace: Refers to a speed or rate of activity that is exciting and stimulating.
  • The project moved at an exhilarating pace.
• Exhilarating effect: Describes the stimulating and energizing impact of something.
  • The music had an exhilarating effect on the crowd.

Verb

1. fill with sublime emotion
   • The children were thrilled at the prospect of going to the movies
   • He was inebriated by his phenomenal success