thrill

B2 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /θɹɪl/ UK [θɾ̪̊ɪɫ] See IPA manual

Freq #6677

Meanings

1

noun
A sudden strong feeling of excitement and pleasure.

She felt a thrill of excitement as the plane took off.
2

verb
To make someone feel very excited and pleased.

The fireworks display thrilled the crowd.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to make someone feel very... rouse exhilarate

More animate awaken electrifyenflameenkindleenthrillexagitate exciteexsuscitatefillip fire

Opposites

allay assuage cool curb extinct extinguish quell soothe temperate

Word family

Forms thrills

Derived forms enthrillthrill-seekerthrilly

Related forms excitingfrissonrush

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

The thrill is worth the risk

Simplified etymology

In Middle English, thrill meant “to pierce” or “penetrate” and was related to through and thorough. Its sense “to affect with a sudden feeling of excitement and pleasure” dates from the 17th century. The delighted exclamation “I’m thrilled!” appeared by the early 20th century, while the first thrillers were exciting plays in the 1880s.

Etymology

From Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb).

þȳrlian Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Emotions & Feelings

External links

# thrill

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /θɹɪl/
**IPA (UK):** [θɾ̪̊ɪɫ]
**Frequency rank:** 6677

## Meanings
1. A sudden strong feeling of excitement and pleasure.
2. To make someone feel very excited and pleased.

## Examples
- She felt a thrill of excitement as the plane took off.
- The fireworks display thrilled the crowd.

## Synonyms
- animate
- awaken
- electrify
- enflame
- enkindle
- enthrill
- exagitate
- excite
- exhilarate
- exsuscitate
- fillip
- fire

## Antonyms
- allay
- assuage
- cool
- curb
- extinct
- extinguish
- quell
- soothe
- temperate

## Derived Forms
- enthrill
- thrill-seeker
- thrilly

## Related Forms
- exciting
- frisson
- rush

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: þȳrlian

## Etymology
From Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb).

## AI Etymology
Thrill is from Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb). The historical line also includes Old English þȳrlian. In present-day use, it can mean a sudden strong feeling of excitement and pleasure, or to make someone feel very excited and pleased. Derived formations include enthrill, thrill-seeker, thrilly.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

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