1 thrill | Definition of thrill
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

thrill

verb
\ ˈthril How to pronounce thrill (audio) \
thrilled; thrilling; thrills

Definition of thrill

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to cause to experience a sudden sharp feeling of excitement the news thrilled him
b : to cause to have a shivering or tingling sensation
2 : to cause to vibrate or tremble perceptibly

intransitive verb

1 : to become thrilled:
a : to experience a sudden sharp excitement
b : tingle, throb
2 : to move or pass so as to cause a sudden wave of emotion
3 : tremble, vibrate

thrill

noun
plural thrills

Definition of thrill (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a feeling of great excitement or happiness The thrill isn't gone from our marriage after all this time. the thrill of discovery/victory "The most fun thing I've done so far," [Dorothy] Parke reports, "is put my foot through a window. It was only breakaway glass; but it was my first stunt, and it gave me such a thrill."— Paul Francis
b : a tingling of or as if of the nerves produced by a sudden emotional reaction a thrill of horror a thrill of pride/pleasure/anticipation Harry felt a thrill of dread: He was about to pay for what had just happened, he was sure of it.— J. K. Rowling
2 : a very exciting or enjoyable event or experience What a thrill it was to see the Queen! a movie with a lot of thrills and chills [=exciting and frightening parts] the thrills and spills of skateboarding He had always fancied himself as having a fine voice, and now to hear it from his wife's own lips was a real thrill.— E. B. White
Other Words from thrill Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about thrill

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from thrill

Verb

thrillingly \ ˈthri-​liÅ‹-​lÄ“ How to pronounce thrillingly (audio) \ adverb

Examples of thrill in a Sentence

Verb

 Circus performers still thrill audiences today. I was thrilled by their decision.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

 Kurtz worked as a cook on another boat for Truth Aquatics and was recently thrilled to be promoted as a deckhand on the Conception. — Washington Post, "Newly hired scientist for California among boat fire victims," 5 Sep. 2019 If the Republicans already in the race are nervous about Mr. Trump’s intervention — which most party officials agree would all but ensure Mr. Lewandowski’s nomination — Democrats are thrilled at the prospect of the president’s adviser as a foe. — Jonathan Martin, New York Times, "Will Trumpism Take Deeper Root in New Hampshire?," 3 Sep. 2019 More in this series On one hand, the parity that characterizes women’s tennis today is thrilling. — Kevin Craft, The Atlantic, "The Thrilling Unpredictability of Women’s Tennis," 3 Sep. 2019 Less than thrilled was Rossi, who believed Portland was the place to pounce after Newgarden had a poor qualifying effort. — oregonlive, "Grand Prix of Portland: Will Power wins IndyCar event at PIR in big day for Team Penske (PHOTOS)," 2 Sep. 2019 The idea of having Cueto help rookie Logan Webb master a promising changeup should thrill a Giants’ front office that will monitor each of their starts closely. — Kerry Crowley, The Mercury News, "September baseball will provide preview of Giants’ future beyond Bochy," 31 Aug. 2019 Mike Trahey, a Chicago Public School teacher and longtime SYS supporter, thrilled the crowd with his daring fire-spinning skills. — Candace Jordan, chicagotribune.com, "Share Your Soles’ masquerade celebrates 20 years of providing shoes for those in need," 27 Aug. 2019 Seeing that dream come into focus, Giddings said, has been thrilling. — Corbett Smith, Dallas News, "‘It allows us to dream big:’ The fastest-growing college in Texas fills a gap by focusing on homegrown students," 26 Aug. 2019 But this week Mr Trump thrilled Taiwan with a step that China will see as an even bigger affront. — The Economist, "America angers China with a sale of fighter jets to Taiwan," 21 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thrill.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of thrill

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

circa 1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for thrill

Verb

Middle English thirlen, thrillen to pierce, from Old English thyrlian, from thyrel hole, from thurh through — more at through entry 1

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for thrill

thrill

verb
How to pronounce thrill (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of thrill

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: to cause (someone) to feel very excited or happy
: to feel very excited or happy about something

thrill

noun

English Language Learners Definition of thrill (Entry 2 of 2)

: a feeling of great excitement or happiness
: a very exciting or enjoyable event or experience

See the full definition for thrill in the English Language Learners Dictionary

thrill

verb
\ ˈthril How to pronounce thrill (audio) \
thrilled; thrilling

Kids Definition of thrill

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: to have or cause to have a sudden feeling of excitement or pleasure

Other Words from thrill

thriller noun

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!