Giddy
What it means
So excited or delighted that calm judgment briefly gives way.
Reach for it when describing buoyant excitement with a playful hint of lost composure
The cast felt giddy when the audience called them back for a third bow.
Words to choose between 7
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| literary |
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playful
delirious
Fits when hyperbole suits overwhelming delight
Careful Delirious also describes serious confusion or illness and is unsafe in literal health contexts.
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everyday
lightheaded
Fits when physical dizziness is genuinely part of the experience
Careful Lightheaded names a bodily symptom and may erase the happy cause.
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warm
Fits when intense happiness matters without any loss of dignity
Careful Elated is controlled enough for formal praise and misses giddy's silliness.
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warm
Fits when triumphant celebration follows a clear success
Careful Jubilant is grander and more public than private giddiness.
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professional
Fits when the high is unusually intense and enveloping
Careful Euphoric can imply an altered state or clinical mood beyond ordinary excitement.
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professional
excitable
Fits when a person reacts quickly and strongly to stimulation
Careful Excitable can sound critical and describes temperament rather than one happy moment.
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literary
Fits when light, resilient cheer is the quality to praise
Careful Buoyant stays composed and does not suggest excited dizziness.
Opposites 3
- sober
- composed
- downcast
Common phrases 3
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giddy with excitement
The finalists were giddy with excitement before the announcement.
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giddy delight
Giddy delight spread through the class when the chicks hatched.
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feel giddy
I feel giddy whenever the orchestra reaches that bright final chord.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Giddy can also mean physically dizzy. In health or safety writing, name that symptom directly.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Neskaya, Southern California accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated