What does exhilarate mean?
Exhilarate is a verb meaning to make someone feel intensely happy, animated, and full of energy — to fill with a kind of joy that quickens rather than soothes. The person or thing that does the exhilarating is the subject: a brisk mountain wind, an unexpected victory, or a soaring piece of music can all exhilarate. In everyday use, however, the word most often appears in its derived forms: people say they feel 'exhilarated' by an experience, or describe an 'exhilarating' ride, performance, or escape. The emotion it denotes is distinct from ordinary happiness; it suggests stimulation, vitality, even a touch of vertigo — the feeling of being fully alive in the moment. Derived ultimately from Latin hilaris, 'cheerful', the word shares ancestry with 'hilarious', a reminder that delight and laughter spring from the same root. Exhilarate is slightly formal in register but common in travel writing, sports journalism, and literary description.
verbTo make someone feel very happy, animated, or elated; to fill with high spirits and invigorating joy.
- To make someone feel very happy, animated, or elated; to fill with invigorating excitement (used chiefly in passive constructions such as 'I was exhilarated by the climb').
"The exhilarating rush of wind as the paraglider lifted off left her laughing out loud."
"She felt exhilarated after reaching the summit just as the sun rose."
"The orchestra's daring finale exhilarated the audience."
"Exhilarate" comes from the same Latin root as "hilarious" — hilaris, meaning "cheerful" — so every time something exhilarates you, it literally makes you hilarious on the inside.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exhilarate
Exhilarate derives from the Latin verb exhilarare, formed from the intensive prefix ex- plus hilaris, meaning 'cheerful' or 'glad', which itself traces back to the Greek word hilaros, 'cheerful'. The English word was adopted in the early modern period, appearing from around the early 16th–17th century, initially with the sense of making merry or cheering. Its close relatives include hilarity and hilarious, which come through the same Greek root via Latin.
Related word forms
How exhilarate is actually used
Exhilarate is almost always used transitively and most naturally in the passive ('was/were exhilarated') or as its participial adjective 'exhilarating'. It carries a strongly positive connotation of energizing, uplifting joy rather than calm contentment.
Easily confused with exhilarate
Exhilarate means to fill with joyful excitement, while exonerate means to clear someone of blame or guilt.