exhilaration

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "exhilaration" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this word to describe feeling of great excitement or joy. For example: After finishing the race, there was a sense of exhilaration in the air.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That conclusion defined the exhilaration and pathos of sport.

The Guardian - Sport

An editor will phone and I'll pour words down the receiver, fast and burbling, only to be left with a hot combination of embarrassment and exhilaration when it's over.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Howe allowed himself a brief moment of exhilaration at the thought of travelling to Goodison Park to play Everton, the club he chose to support as a six-year-old having been enticed by those in blue as they defeated his local club, Watford, in the 1984 FA Cup final.

The Guardian - Sport

There is, or was, an exhilaration to their brittle mood of ecstasy and hysteria.

The Guardian - Arts

In a moment of Romantic exhilaration Courbet portrays himself as a "madman", his face ecstatic and terrified.

The Guardian

Despite the horror stories, my exhilaration at first overcame fear.

The Guardian

"The energy and exhilaration there yesterday and we're seeing on the trail, it takes your breath away," Cruz said in an appearance on NBC's Today show, alongside his wife, Heidi.

The Guardian

The team was trained in first aid, in case they came across casualties of the storm, and in 2011 he helped to rebuild houses in Alabama, where he had registered 1,000 tornado tracks in a single day.When he appeared on "Storm Chasers" on the Discovery Channel, this soberness kept wrestling with exhilaration.

The Economist

Your correspondent vividly recalls the exhilaration of that occasion in the Great Hall of the People, when the newly appointed party chief, Zhao Ziyang, raised glasses with foreign journalists and fielded impromptu questions in an unprecedented display of openness.

The Economist

The atmosphere of goodwill, camaraderie and exhilaration felt something like that of a Glastonbury rock festival, but with less music.

The Economist

Reverence for the integrity of source material begins to fall away, to be replaced by the exhilaration of innovation.Renegade (Ray Keith)—Terrorist (Moving Shadow, 1994)I don't think the Amen break is allowed to run for a full bar at any point in this deadly riot of snare rushes and cymbal crashes.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exhilaration" to describe a powerful feeling of happiness, often associated with overcoming a challenge or experiencing something extraordinary.

Common error

Don't use "exhilaration" to describe simple pleasures. Reserve it for moments of profound joy and excitement, not everyday contentment.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "exhilaration" is as a noun, typically used to denote a state or feeling. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across various contexts, as demonstrated in numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "exhilaration" is a noun that describes a strong feeling of joy and excitement. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It is most frequently found in News & Media and Encyclopedia contexts. While a very common word, it's important to reserve it for moments of truly profound joy, not everyday happiness. Consider alternatives like "intense joy" or "extreme excitement" for similar, but subtly different, shades of meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intense elation

Stresses the elevated and uplifted feeling of happiness.

extreme excitement

Highlights the intensity of the excitement experienced.

overwhelming excitement

Focuses on the overpowering nature of the excitement.

thrill of excitement

Captures the stimulating and invigorating aspect of excitement.

euphoric feeling

Describes a state of intense well-being and happiness, often with a sense of detachment from reality.

intense joy

Focuses on the emotion of joy rather than the state of excitement.

extreme happiness

Highlights the state of being happy, possibly to an excessive extent.

sheer delight

Emphasizes the purity and completeness of the joy.

overflowing joy

Suggests an abundance and excess of happiness.

complete rapture

Conveys a sense of being completely carried away by joy and delight.

FAQs

How to use "exhilaration" in a sentence?

Use "exhilaration" to describe a feeling of intense happiness and excitement. For example, "The team felt a surge of exhilaration after winning the championship."

What can I say instead of "exhilaration"?

You can use alternatives like "intense joy", "extreme excitement", or "intense elation" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "exhilaration" or "excitement"?

"Exhilaration" and "excitement" are similar, but "exhilaration" implies a higher degree of joy and upliftment than simple excitement.

What's the difference between "exhilaration" and "elation"?

"Exhilaration" often involves a sense of energy and invigoration, while "elation" focuses more on a feeling of being uplifted or elevated.