Cool MateExcited vs Thrilled
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Excited
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Thrilled
Top 2,000 (common)C1adjective
Most common: Excited
| Excited | Thrilled | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/θrɪld/"]/🇺🇸 /["/θrɪld/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very happy and enthusiastic. | Very excited or happy. |
| Example | I am so excited to see my friends this weekend! | ‘Are you pleased?’ ‘I'm thrilled.’ |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | C1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, about, at, by, be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, about, at, by | be, feel, look, really, absolutely, quite, at, with, thrilled to bits, thrilled to pieces |
| Antonyms | bored, uninterested, calm | disappointed, unhappy, bored |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'excited' with 'exciting' — 'exciting' describes something that causes excitement., Using 'excited' with the preposition 'for' incorrectly — use 'excited about' instead. | '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 'excited' to describe feelings of happiness or eagerness about something. It's appropriate in most contexts, but can be overly informal in very serious situations. | 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: Excited vs Thrilled
What's the difference between Excited and Thrilled?
Excited: Very happy and enthusiastic. Thrilled: Very excited or happy.
Which is more common: Excited and Thrilled?
Excited is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Excited and Thrilled?
Thrilled is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Excited and Thrilled the same CEFR level?
Excited: A1, Thrilled: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Excited and Thrilled?
Excited: adjective, Thrilled: adjective.
Can you show an example of each?
Excited: I am so excited to see my friends this weekend! Thrilled: ‘Are you pleased?’ ‘I'm thrilled.’
Can I use Excited and Thrilled interchangeably?
Not always. Excited 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.