elation
C1Formal to neutral. More common in written English than casual conversation.
Definition
Meaning
A feeling of great happiness and excitement, typically as a result of a success or unexpected positive event.
A state of joyful pride or exultation; an elevated emotional state characterized by a sense of triumph, euphoria, or jubilation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Elation implies a high degree of positive emotion, often sudden and intense. It suggests a lifting of the spirits. It is less about calm contentment and more about an energetic, triumphant joy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations of intense, triumphant joy.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English corpora, but the difference is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
feel/experience a sense of elationbe filled with elationbe in a state of elationelation at [noun/gerund]elation over [noun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on cloud nine”
- “over the moon”
- “walking on air”
- “in seventh heaven”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe the reaction to a major deal, successful product launch, or exceeding financial targets (e.g., 'The team's elation was palpable after securing the contract.').
Academic
Used in psychology, literature, or sociology to describe emotional states in research or analysis (e.g., 'The study measured levels of elation following goal achievement.').
Everyday
Describing personal triumphs like passing a difficult exam, a sports victory, or a positive life event (e.g., 'She felt pure elation when she saw her exam results.').
Technical
Rare in highly technical fields. Might appear in psychiatry/psychology alongside discussions of mood disorders or affective states.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The news elated the entire squad.
- He was visibly elated by the honour.
American English
- The victory elated the fans.
- She felt elated after the promotion.
adverb
British English
- He smiled elatedly at his teammates.
- She ran elatedly towards the finish line.
American English
- They cheered elatedly as the clock ran out.
- He spoke elatedly about his acceptance.
adjective
British English
- She wore an elated expression.
- The elated children couldn't stop talking about the trip.
American English
- He was elated at the news.
- An elated crowd celebrated the win.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Winning the game filled him with elation.
- Her face showed her elation at the good news.
- After months of hard work, the team's elation at their success was completely justified.
- A initial feeling of elation was soon tempered by the reality of the challenges ahead.
- The elation she felt upon receiving the award was momentarily overshadowed by a profound sense of responsibility.
- Market analysts warned investors not to make impulsive decisions based on the elation following the quarterly report.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'e' (as in 'elevated') + 'lation' (sounds like 'celebration'). Elation is an elevated feeling you get during a celebration.
Conceptual Metaphor
HAPPINESS IS UP / HAPPINESS IS A NATURAL FORCE ('She was buoyed up by elation.', 'A wave of elation swept over the crowd.').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating to 'эйфория' (euphoria) every time, as 'euphoria' is stronger and often implies an altered state. 'Elation' is better translated as 'ликование', 'восторг', or 'приподнятое настроение'.
- Do not confuse with 'эластичность' (elasticity), which is a false cognate.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'elation' (correct) vs. 'illation' (incorrect).
- Using it to describe mild happiness (e.g., 'I felt elation after my morning coffee.' – this is too strong).
- Incorrect preposition: 'elation for' instead of the standard 'elation at/over'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following situations is LEAST likely to evoke 'elation'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is understood by most native speakers but is more common in writing, journalism, and formal descriptions of emotion. In casual speech, people might say 'over the moon' or 'thrilled' more often.
'Happiness' is a broad, general term for a positive emotional state. 'Elation' is a specific, intense type of happiness that is often sudden, triumphant, and energizing, usually linked to a specific cause like success.
Typically, no. It is a positive emotion. However, context can give it a negative nuance, e.g., 'his reckless elation led him to ignore the risks,' implying the emotion was excessive or blinding.
Yes, the related verb is 'to elate' (meaning to make someone ecstatically happy), and the adjective is 'elated'. The verb is less common than the noun and adjective.
Collections
Part of a collection
Nuanced Emotions
C2 · 48 words · Precise vocabulary for complex emotional states.
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