Language tip of the week: making someone feel excited

In this weekly post, we bring more useful content from the Macmillan Dictionary to English language learners. In this series of language tips to accompany the Real Vocabulary theme we look at how you can expand your vocabulary in English by using different words and expressions instead of core vocabulary items.

This set of language tips will explore different ways to talk about emotions. This week’s tip looks at adjective for describing things that make someone feel excited:

exciting making you feel excited and enthusiastic:
This is the most exciting project I have ever worked on. ♦ an exciting opportunity ♦ Most people find New York exciting.
thrilling extremely exciting: often used about sporting events:
France beat Wales 34-33 in a thrilling match in Paris.
exhilarating making you feel happy, excited and full of energy:
I spent an exhilarating day kayaking down the river. ♦ an exhausting but exhilarating climb
gripping very exciting and interesting: used especially about books, films or sporting events that are so exciting that you can’t stop reading or watching:
A crowd of 8000 watched the gripping final chapter of a remarkable contest. ♦ a gripping account of the disaster
dramatic exciting and interesting: often used about sporting events that are very exciting, especially at the end:
His side lost 6-1 in a remarkable game with a dramatic finale.