Cool MateDelighted vs Thrilled
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Delighted
Top 3,000 (common)B2adjective
Thrilled
Top 2,000 (common)C1adjective
Most common: Thrilled
| Delighted | Thrilled | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈlaɪtɪd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/θrɪld/"]/🇺🇸 /["/θrɪld/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very happy or pleased. | Very excited or happy. |
| Example | She was delighted to receive the news of her promotion. | ‘Are you pleased?’ ‘I'm thrilled.’ |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | C1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | appear, be, feel, highly, only too, really, at, by, with | be, feel, look, really, absolutely, quite, at, with, thrilled to bits, thrilled to pieces |
| Antonyms | displeased, unhappy, dissatisfied | disappointed, unhappy, bored |
| Common mistakes | Using 'delighted' in a sarcastic context., Confusing 'delighted' with 'excited'., Incorrect preposition use: saying 'delighted for' instead of 'delighted with' or 'about'. | 'Thrilled' is sometimes confused with 'excited', but 'thrilled' is stronger., Learners might use 'thrilled' with negative contexts, which sounds odd., Some forget to use 'be' before 'thrilled' (e.g. saying 'I thrilled' instead of 'I am thrilled'). |
| Usage notes | Use 'delighted' to express genuine happiness, often in positive situations. It's more formal than 'happy', so avoid it in casual conversations. | Use 'thrilled' to express excitement in neutral to positive contexts. Avoid in very formal writing. It's suitable for conversations and informal settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Delighted vs Thrilled
What's the difference between Delighted and Thrilled?
Delighted: Very happy or pleased. Thrilled: Very excited or happy.
Which is more common: Delighted and Thrilled?
Thrilled is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Delighted and Thrilled?
Thrilled is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Delighted and Thrilled the same CEFR level?
Delighted: B2, Thrilled: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Delighted and Thrilled?
Delighted: adjective, Thrilled: adjective.
Can you show an example of each?
Delighted: She was delighted to receive the news of her promotion. Thrilled: ‘Are you pleased?’ ‘I'm thrilled.’
Can I use Delighted and Thrilled interchangeably?
Not always. Delighted and Thrilled are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.