Pick the correctly spelled word:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct Answer
Exhilarate
Explanation
The question asks to identify the word that is spelled correctly.
The correct spelling is "Exhilarate," which means to make someone feel very happy, animated, or elated. The word is derived from the Latin root hilaris (meaning cheerful, which is also the root for the word hilarious). Therefore, it must retain the "hilar" spelling in the middle, making Option 1 the correct choice. Note that Option 1 and Option 4 are identical duplicates of the correct spelling.
The other options are common spelling errors based on pronunciation traps:
Exilerate is incorrect because it completely misses the silent letter 'h'.
Exhilerate is the most frequent trap in competitive exams because people mistakenly substitute the middle vowel 'a' with an 'e'.
Key Points
Spelling tests often target words with silent letters or tricky vowels. To ace this word in exams, split it into parts to remember the root: Ex - hilar - ate. If you can associate it with the word hilarious, you will never forget that it uses an 'a' instead of an 'e'.