thrill
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a sudden feeling of great excitement, pleasure, or fear.
n.a sudden feeling of intense emotion, excitement, or pleasure, often described as a physical sensation.
Simple“She felt a thrill of excitement when she saw her name on the list.”
In context“The mountain climber described the pure thrill of reaching the summit after weeks of grueling physical exertion.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that causes you to feel very excited.
n.an experience or event that produces a sudden wave of excitement or pleasure.
Simple“It was a real thrill to meet the famous author in person.”
In context“For many travelers, the primary thrill of visiting the city is exploring its hidden underground markets.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a vibration that a doctor can feel when touching the body, usually near the heart.
n.a fine vibration felt by an examiner on palpation, typically associated with a heart murmur or vascular turbulence.
Simple“The doctor felt a slight thrill when checking the patient's chest.”
In context“The presence of a palpable thrill over the carotid artery suggested significant turbulent blood flow requiring further investigation.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make someone feel very excited or happy.
v.to cause someone to experience a sudden wave of intense emotion or pleasure.
Simple“The news of the wedding thrilled the entire family.”
In context“The soloist's virtuosic performance thrilled the audience, leading to a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice as 'to be thrilled'.
- 05 C1 Advanced
“New Zealand quickly turned a three-point lead into 10 and went on to win 33-16 in a thrilling upset.”
“Super Furry Animals were a band I knew only distantly, via the transgressive thrill of that song they had with all the swearing in .”
From Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb).
Blend of thread (verb) + drill (verb).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.