rap ‧ tu ‧ rous /ˈræptʃ ə rəs/ BrE AmE adjective [usually before noun]
expressing great happiness or admiration – used especially in news reports:
She was greeted with rapturous applause.
rapturous reception/welcome
He was given a rapturous welcome.
—rapturously adverb
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ excited feeling happy, especially about something good that has happened or is going to happen:
He’s excited about his new job.
|
The kids always get excited on their birthday.
|
An excited crowd watched their team win 3–0.
|
When we get home, the dogs are always excited to see us.
|
Doctors are very excited by the discovery.
▪ thrilled /θrɪld/ [not before noun] very excited and pleased:
She was thrilled to hear that you were in London.
|
I was thrilled when they told me that I’d got a place on the course.
▪ exhilarated /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪtəd, ɪɡˈzɪləreɪtɪd/ [not before noun] very excited and full of energy, especially because you are experiencing something new or something that involves risks:
She felt exhilarated by her new freedom.
|
The climb left him feeling exhilarated.
▪ look forward to something to feel excited about something good that is going to happen and to think about it a lot:
The kids are looking forward to their vacation – they’ve never been to California before.
|
She’s really looking forward to meeting him.
▪ can’t wait to do something especially spoken to be very excited about something good that is going to happen:
I can’t wait to see him again.
▪ on the edge of your seat extremely excited and interested when you are watching a film, game etc, because you do not know what is going to happen next:
I was on the edge of my seat throughout the movie.
|
The game kept fans on the edge of their seats.
▪ on tenterhooks /ˈtentəhʊks $ -ər-/ very excited and nervous because you are waiting to find out what has happened:
Don’t keep us on tenterhooks! Did you pass your test?
▪ rapturous [usually before noun] especially written rapturous behaviour shows that a large group of people are extremely excited and pleased:
They received a rapturous welcome.
|
He came on the stage to rapturous applause (=everyone was clapping and cheering) .