noun

elation

/ɪˈleɪʃən/ · say it: ih·LAY·shun

great happiness and excitement

In Emotions & Moods

In more detail

a feeling of great happiness and excitement

Examples

She felt a wave of elation when she found out she had won the prize.

How to use elation

Elation describes an intense, often exuberant happiness that is more heightened and sustained than momentary joy. It typically follows a significant achievement, success, or positive event and carries a tone of triumph or victory. Unlike euphoria, which can seem detached from reality, elation is grounded in genuine accomplishment or good fortune.

Common phrases

boundless elation
a sense of elation
elation at/over something
fill with elation
waves of elation

Synonyms

joy · delight · euphoria · exhilaration · jubilation

Opposites

dejection · despair · gloom

Word family

elated (adjective) · elatedly (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use elation to describe mild contentment or satisfaction, when the word actually implies notably strong and exuberant happiness.

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