thrill
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thrill
A strong feeling of excitement, suspense, and slight fear that is often felt as pleasant or exhilarating.
Manche Menschen suchen beim Extremsport den ultimativen Nervenkitzel.
Some people seek the ultimate thrill in extreme sports.
The word is made up of 'Nerven' (nerves) and 'Kitzel' (tickle). Figuratively, it describes a feeling as if the nerves were being tickled—a mixture of suspense and excitement.
Die Stille vor dem Start sorgte für echten Nervenkitzel.
The silence before the start created a real thrill.
'Nervenkitzel' (thrill) is often combined with certain verbs that express seeking or experiencing this feeling: 'den Nervenkitzel suchen' (to seek the thrill), 'den Nervenkitzel spüren' (to feel the thrill), or 'den Nervenkitzel brauchen' (to need the thrill).
Er braucht den Nervenkitzel und fährt deshalb Motorradrennen.
He needs the thrill, which is why he races motorcycles.
The word 'Nervenkitzel' (thrill) is used almost exclusively in the singular. The plural is very unusual and sounds unnatural to native speakers.
Für mich ist eine Achterbahnfahrt der pure Nervenkitzel.
For me, a roller coaster ride is pure thrill.
The term is often used in connection with activities such as extreme sports, riding roller coasters, gambling, or watching horror films.
Fallschirmspringen bietet den ultimativen Nervenkitzel.
Skydiving offers the ultimate thrill.
tension / suspense / voltage
Spannung and Nervenkitzel both describe excited anticipation. Spannung is the more general term for wondering how something will turn out, while Nervenkitzel additionally emphasizes intense, usually pleasant excitement and a slight sense of fear. Use Spannung, for example, for a film or competition, and Nervenkitzel for a risky experience.
Die schnelle Fahrt auf der Achterbahn gab ihr einen angenehmen Nervenkitzel.
The fast ride on the roller coaster gave her a pleasant thrill.
Vor dem Ende des Films war die Spannung so groß, dass niemand sprach.
The suspense was so intense before the end of the film that no one spoke.
