thrill

B2 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /θɹɪl/ UK /[θɾ̪̊ɪɫ]/ See IPA manual

noun verb 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.

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

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

# 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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thrill

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