Word
thrill
US/ˈθɹɪɫ/
UK/θɹˈɪl/
Definitions
01excitement
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.
“She felt a thrill of excitement when she saw her name on the list.”
“The mountain climber described the pure thrill of reaching the summit after weeks of grueling physical exertion.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02an exciting event
n. something that causes you to feel very excited.
n. an experience or event that produces a sudden wave of excitement or pleasure.
“It was a real thrill to meet the famous author in person.”
“For many travelers, the primary thrill of visiting the city is exploring its hidden underground markets.”
03medical vibration
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.
“The doctor felt a slight thrill when checking the patient's chest.”
“The presence of a palpable thrill over the carotid artery suggested significant turbulent blood flow requiring further investigation.”
Technical
04to excite someone
v. to make someone feel very excited or happy.
v. to cause someone to experience a sudden wave of intense emotion or pleasure.
“The news of the wedding thrilled the entire family.”
“The soloist's virtuosic performance thrilled the audience, leading to a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.”
Usage
Often used in the passive voice as 'to be thrilled'.
05to vibrate
v. to shake or vibrate slightly.
v. to experience or cause a trembling or quivering sensation.
“Her voice thrilled with emotion as she told the story.”
“A low note from the organ made the very air in the cathedral thrill and hum.”
Literary
Real-World Examples
“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 .” Etymology
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.
Word family
Related words
Idioms
cheap thrill — Something simple and inexpensive done for pleasure.
thrill kill — An act of murder motivated solely by the murderer's desire to have a very exciting experience.
thrill killer — A murderer who is motivated by a strong personal desire to have a very exciting experience.
thrill of the hunt — The anticipation and excitement experienced while searching for something that is difficult to obtain.