noun
adrenaline
uh-DREH-nuh-lihn
noun
1
A hormone released in response to stress or excitement that speeds up the heart and boosts energy.
"Her heart raced as adrenaline kicked in before the race."
"The rescue took a huge adrenaline rush."
2
A feeling of excitement or thrill.
"Skydivers chase the adrenaline of free fall."
"The crowd was buzzing with adrenaline before kickoff."
How to Use Adrenaline
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe "fight or flight" hormone, or more casually, the rush of excitement it causes.
Common pairings
adrenaline rush
pumped with adrenaline
adrenaline junkie
Word Forms
adrenalines plural
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Her heart raced as _____ kicked in before the race.
Etymology
Coined in 1901 by the Japanese chemist Jokichi Takamine from adrenal + -ine.