exhilarate

Exhilarate is a verb that means to cause someone to feel very happy and animated, or to fill with energetic excitement. It describes an emotional or physical uplift produced by an experience, event, or performance. The subject of exhilaration is typically a person or group, as in “The news exhilarated the team” or “The roller coaster ride exhilarated the crowd.” The related adjective is exhilarating, and the noun form is exhilaration.

Etymology and history: the word comes from the Latin exhilarare, formed from ex- meaning out and hilaris meaning cheerful. In English, exhilarate appeared in the late 16th century and has since retained a sense of bright, refreshing energy.

Usage and nuance: exhilarate generally implies a strong, positive uplift rather than mere stimulation. It often conveys a sense of renewed mood, enthusiasm, or vigor following an event or experience. It is slightly more formal or vivid than simpler verbs like excite, and it is commonly used with experiences that are thrilling, uplifting, or awe-inspiring. Common collocations include exhilarating performance, exhilarating ride, and exhilarated audience. Related terms include exhilaration (the noun) and exhilarating (the adjective), with synonyms such as elate, thrill, and uplift, while antonyms include depress, dampen, or dampen mood.