thrilled; thrilling; thrills
1
transitive
: to cause (someone) to experience a strong feeling of enjoyable excitement
The news thrilled him.
a performance that thrilled the crowd
It's just one of the 35 breathtaking stunts the 47-year-old daredevil pilot uses to thrill spectators at airshows across the country.—
Jean Bryant
see also thrilled, thrilling
Jean Bryant2
intransitive
: to experience a surge of excitement and pleasure
They thrilled to the sound of his voice.
She remembers that her father thrilled to see his daughter's name in print …—David Ansen
David AnsenFrom the beginning, Americans thrilled to the Hubble's potential to do dramatic science, to take us intellectually where no one has gone before.—Chet Raymo
Chet RaymoKit thrilled at the sight of the familiar red coats.—Elizabeth George Speare
Elizabeth George Speare3
intransitive,
chiefly literary
a
: to move or pass so as to cause a sudden wave of emotion
… a faint cold fear thrills through my veins …—William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
b
: tremble entry 1, vibrate
… the very rocks seem to thrill with life.—John Muir
John Muir
plural thrills
1
a
: 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
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
J. K. Rowling2
: 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
E. B. WhiteSynonyms
Examples of thrill in a Sentence
Verb
Circus performers still thrill audiences today.
I was thrilled by their decision.
Noun
everyone gets a real thrill out of the Independence Day fireworks
Recent Examples on the Web
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
Look, nobody on the GTW crew is thrilled at the idea of the Nuggets missing Gordon for an extended stretch.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 9 Nov. 2024
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
Longtime opera fans as well as first-time audiences are drawn to the thrill of these enduring works.
—Georgia Rowe, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for thrill 
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Verb
The sisters are thrilled the JP era is over, but still flinch anytime the doorbell rings.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
Look, nobody on the GTW crew is thrilled at the idea of the Nuggets missing Gordon for an extended stretch.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
As a portrait of young revolutionaries, Say Nothing crackles with the thrill and romance of committing one’s life to an armed cause.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
Longtime opera fans as well as first-time audiences are drawn to the thrill of these enduring works.
—Georgia Rowe, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for thrill
Dictionary Entries Near thrill
Cite this Entry
“Thrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrill. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
thrill
noun
: an abnormal fine tremor or vibration in the respiratory or circulatory systems felt on palpation
a continuous systolic and diastolic murmur, frequently associated with a thrill—R. L. Cecil & R. F. Loeb
R. L. Cecil & R. F. LoebLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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