as in kicks
a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings
everyone gets a real thrill out of the Independence Day fireworks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in excites
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings of
I was thrilled to hear that you got the promotion that you'd been so desperately wanting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thrills
Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
Sonically, nothing jumps out and thrills, excites, or alarms.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
There have been thrills, spills, and Mariah Carey?
—Outside, 9 Feb. 2026
Ah, the thrills of watching the Olympics—converting time differences in foreign countries!
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Heaven knows, Nettles provided more than his share of thrills and accomplishments to fill it up.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
And learning that some diners travel hours to eat at Leña shocks and thrills Rory.
—Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
This isn’t about chasing romantic (or creative) thrills for the plot, but about deciding what is genuinely worthy of your time and devotion.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
The 139-room, ski-in/ski-out hotel, home to Cortina, an excellent Northern Italian restaurant, continually introduces inventive thrills to its repertoire.
—Amy Tara Koch, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2026
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Monfils draws and then thrills a crowd like few players on tour, producing impossible acts of tennis escapology and delivering winners from all corners of the court.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
While airborne, the dancer crosses his legs in the air twice before landing, a feat that thrills ballet enthusiasts who are known to burst into applause at its conclusion.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
Records about settling down tend to bask in the thrills of leaving dating behind and getting the chance to forge a new life.
—Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
Sonically, nothing jumps out and thrills, excites, or alarms.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
There have been thrills, spills, and Mariah Carey?
—Outside, 9 Feb. 2026
Ah, the thrills of watching the Olympics—converting time differences in foreign countries!
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Heaven knows, Nettles provided more than his share of thrills and accomplishments to fill it up.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
And learning that some diners travel hours to eat at Leña shocks and thrills Rory.
—Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
This isn’t about chasing romantic (or creative) thrills for the plot, but about deciding what is genuinely worthy of your time and devotion.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
The 139-room, ski-in/ski-out hotel, home to Cortina, an excellent Northern Italian restaurant, continually introduces inventive thrills to its repertoire.
—Amy Tara Koch, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
The mind thrills to imagine a genderless prophet among the brocades and buckskin breeches of Revolutionary America, weirding out the normies, sticking a flower in the barrel of a musket, and goading the new nation to let its hair down—literally.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Monfils draws and then thrills a crowd like few players on tour, producing impossible acts of tennis escapology and delivering winners from all corners of the court.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
While airborne, the dancer crosses his legs in the air twice before landing, a feat that thrills ballet enthusiasts who are known to burst into applause at its conclusion.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrills
Noun
-
The last time Texas football played on grass at Royal-Memorial Stadium, Marquise Goodwin was returning kicks, David Ash was playing quarterback and Mack Brown was prowling the sideline.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
-
In a video posted on Instagram on Thursday, Vonn squats with weights, lunges from side to side and does fast kicks against a ball.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sonically, nothing jumps out and thrills, excites, or alarms.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Sherman Fan owns and operates the restaurant and spoke about what excites him about the reopening.—
Stephanie Gallman Jordan,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Simon Makin,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Eva’s romance with her husband, Franklin Plaskett, delights and amazes her.—
Adelle Waldman,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The star of Maggie Gyllenhaal's bold, new take on the Bride of Frankenstein electrifies in EW's cover story photoshoot.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Seyfried’s performance elevates, even electrifies, the film, as does the decision to replicate Shaker worship through song and movement numbers, all of which are choreographed and performed to a spellbinding extent.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thrills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrills. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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