adjective

giddy

/ˈɡɪdi/ · say it: GID·ee

dizzy with excitement or happiness

In Emotions & Moods

In more detail

1. (adjective) having a feeling of spinning or losing your balance; dizzy

2. (adjective) excited and happy in a silly or careless way

Examples

1. I felt giddy after spinning around in circles.
2. The children were giddy with excitement on their birthday.

How to use giddy

Giddy describes either a physical sensation of dizziness or a state of lighthearted, carefree excitement verging on silliness. The dizzy sense is medical or literal; the excited sense is informal and often suggests lack of composure or good judgment. It carries a playful, sometimes dismissive tone depending on context.

Common phrases

giddy with excitement
giddy heights
feel giddy
giddy spell
giddy up

Synonyms

dizzy · lightheaded · excited · elated · euphoric

Opposites

calm · serious · grounded

Word family

giddily (adverb) · giddiness (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use giddy to mean simply 'happy' without the sense of dizziness or silliness that characterizes the word; it implies lightheadedness or loss of composure, not calm contentment.

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