to make (someone) feel very happy, animated, or elated
example
The breathtaking view from the mountain top exhilarated everyone on the hike, filling them with joy and excitement.
synonyms
elateupliftexcite
word origin — The word 'exhilarate' comes from the Latin 'exhilarare', which means 'to make cheerful' (ex- 'out, from' + hilarare 'to make cheerful').
exhilarate, extrude, hackney, decimate, petrify: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 2 set 282. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
exhilarate · verb/ɪɡˈzɪl.əˌreɪt/
to make (someone) feel very happy, animated, or elated
The breathtaking view from the mountain top exhilarated everyone on the hike, filling them with joy and excitement.
Synonyms: elate, uplift, excite
Origin: The word 'exhilarate' comes from the Latin 'exhilarare', which means 'to make cheerful' (ex- 'out, from' + hilarare 'to make cheerful').
extrude · verb/ɪkˈstruːd/
to force or push out a material through a shaped opening
The factory uses a machine to extrude plastic into various shapes for packaging products.
Synonyms: expel, force out, push out
Origin: The word 'extrude' originates from the Latin 'extrudere', where 'ex-' means 'out' and 'trudere' means 'to push'.
hackney · verb/ˈhækn.i/
to make use of something in a way that is unoriginal or clichéd
Many authors hackney their plots with predictable twists that fail to engage readers.
Synonyms: diminish, drain, exploit
Origin: The term 'hackney' originates from the Old French word 'hacquenée', which referred to a horse used for riding or driving. Over time, it evolved to mean something that is commonplace or overused.
decimate · verb/ˈdɛs.ɪ.meɪt/
to destroy a large part of something
The excessive logging in the rainforest had begun to decimate the population of native bird species.
Synonyms: devastate, obliterate, destroy
Origin: from Latin 'decimare', meaning to take a tenth, originally referring to the killing of one in every ten soldiers as a form of punishment.
petrify · verb/ˈpɛtrɪˌfaɪ/
to convert into stone or a stony substance
Over millions of years, the ancient forest was petrified, turning its once-living trees into stunning stone formations.
Synonyms: calcify, fossilize, stone
Origin: from Middle French 'pétrifier', from Latin 'petrificare', from 'petra' meaning 'rock'.