thrilled
HighNeutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
Feeling great pleasure and excitement.
Can imply extreme delight, often used hyperbolically in casual speech to express high satisfaction or exhilaration.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily positive connotation; often intensified with adverbs like 'absolutely' or 'really'; commonly used in emotional expressions of joy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Equally positive in both variants.
Frequency
Equally common in both British and American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be thrilled with [noun]be thrilled to [verb]be thrilled that [clause]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “thrilled to bits”
- “thrilled to pieces”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in positive reports or feedback, e.g., 'We are thrilled with the partnership.'
Academic
Less common; may appear in informal academic writing or presentations.
Everyday
Very common in conversational English to express happiness.
Technical
Rare; not typically used in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The singer thrilled the crowd at the festival.
American English
- The movie thrilled audiences across the country.
adjective
British English
- She was thrilled to bits about the wedding plans.
American English
- He's thrilled to pieces with his new apartment.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I am thrilled to see you today.
- They were thrilled with their exam results.
- Despite the delay, we were thrilled by the performance.
- The researchers were absolutely thrilled by the breakthrough discovery.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'thrill' like a roller coaster ride – it gives you a rush of excitement and pleasure.
Conceptual Metaphor
EXCITEMENT IS A PHYSICAL SENSATION
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Might confuse with 'взволнованный' which can mean agitated, whereas 'thrilled' is always positive.
- Direct translation might lead to overuse in contexts where 'рад' (glad) is more appropriate.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'thrilled' in negative contexts, e.g., 'I was not thrilled' (though possible, it's less common).
- Incorrect preposition, e.g., 'thrilled for' instead of 'thrilled with'.
Practice
Quiz
Which word is a synonym for 'thrilled'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is generally neutral to informal, but can be used in semi-formal contexts depending on the situation.
Yes, it is commonly used with 'to' as in 'thrilled to help', or 'that' as in 'thrilled that you came'.
'Thrilled' often implies a higher degree of pleasure and is more emotionally charged, whereas 'excited' can be more general and less intense.
No, the usage is very similar, with minor idiomatic variations like 'thrilled to bits' in British English and 'thrilled to pieces' in American English.