What does "thrill" mean?
A trembling or quivering, especially one caused by emotion; a frisson.
Thrill
/θɹɪl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A trembling or quivering, especially one caused by emotion; a frisson.
- Grammar: thrill is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: exhilarate, ache, acute pain, adrenalin.
- Useful contrasts: bore, boredom, calm.
- Usage evidence: Racing car drivers aren't just in it for the prize money but also for the thrill of racing.
How to use "thrill"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thrill" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "thrill" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "thrill" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thrill" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "thrill" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "exhilarate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "thrill", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A trembling or quivering, especially one caused by emotion; a frisson.
"She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill."
- 2 something that causes you to experience a sudden intense feeling or sensation wordnet
- 3 A cause of sudden excitement; a kick. figuratively
"The thrill is gone / Gone, gone for me / I still live on, lonely though I'll be"
- 4 an almost pleasurable sensation of fright wordnet
- 5 A slight quivering of the heart that accompanies a cardiac murmur.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 the swift release of a store of affective force wordnet
- 7 A breathing place or hole; a nostril, as of a bird.
Verb
- 1 To suddenly excite someone, or to give someone great pleasure; to (figuratively) electrify; to experience such a sensation. ergative
"The cruel word her tender heart so thrilled, / That sudden cold did run through every vein."
- 2 To drill and thread in one operation, using a tool bit that cuts the hole and the threads in one series of computer-controlled movements.
- 3 feel sudden intense sensation or emotion wordnet
- 4 To (cause something to) tremble or quiver. ergative
- 5 fill with sublime emotion wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 To perforate by a pointed instrument; to bore; to transfix; to drill. obsolete
"he perced through his chaufed chest / With thrilling point of deadly yron brand"
- 7 tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement wordnet
- 8 To hurl; to throw; to cast. obsolete
"I'd thrill my jauelin at the Grecian moysture"
- 9 cause to be thrilled by some perceptual input wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Racing car drivers aren't just in it for the prize money but also for the thrill of racing."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thrill"?
Common synonyms include: exhilarate, ache, acute pain, adrenalin, adrenaline, adrenaline rush.
How do you use "thrill" in a sentence?
Racing car drivers aren't just in it for the prize money but also for the thrill of racing.
How do you pronounce "thrill"?
Pronounced /θɹɪl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb).
Etymology 2
Blend of thread (verb) + drill (verb).