Exult vs. Rejoice — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on May 7, 2024
Exult means to express great joy and excitement, often visibly, while rejoice means to feel or show happiness, typically due to a specific cause or achievement.
Difference Between Exult and Rejoice
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Exult implies outward displays of intense happiness or triumph. People might exult when celebrating an achievement, showing joy with expressions like jumping or shouting. On the other hand, rejoice suggests a more restrained form of joy, focusing on inner satisfaction.
Exult is often associated with victory or success, where individuals openly display their triumphs. Rejoice can arise from any positive situation, like a significant life event, and might involve private or public expressions.
Exult may carry a nuance of boasting or feeling superior, especially after overcoming adversity. In contrast, rejoice emphasizes a sense of gratitude, often shared with others, creating a communal atmosphere.
Exult frequently appears in contexts where someone's victory is celebrated after a challenge. Rejoice, however, can be used in broader contexts, including religious or everyday life situations where gratitude is felt.
Comparison Chart
Expression
Visible joy or triumph
Inner satisfaction or joy
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Usage Context
Celebrating victory or success
Positive events, religious or everyday
Intensity
More intense, energetic
Can be quieter, more subdued
Nuance
May imply boasting or triumph over others
Emphasizes gratitude, often shared
Common Pairings
Overcome, victory, conquer
Good news, life event, religious
Compare with Definitions
Exult
To show intense joy.
The fans exulted after their team won the championship.
Rejoice
To feel or show great joy.
The town rejoiced when the drought finally ended.
Exult
To rejoice exuberantly.
She exulted in her promotion to senior manager.
Rejoice
To take delight in something.
She rejoiced in her daughter's graduation.
Exult
To celebrate a victory or achievement.
The marathon runner exulted after crossing the finish line.
Rejoice
To be glad about something.
They rejoiced to hear that their friend recovered from illness.
Exult
To be filled with delight.
He exulted in the stunning views from the mountain top.
Rejoice
To feel grateful and satisfied.
The community rejoiced together in the festival.
Exult
To feel triumphant.
They exulted at their successful completion of the project.
Rejoice
To celebrate a positive event.
People rejoiced at the birth of the royal baby.
Exult
Feel or show triumphant elation or jubilation
Exulting in her escape, Lisa closed the door behind her
Rejoice
To feel joyful; be delighted
Rejoiced at the news.
Rejoiced in her friend's good fortune.
Exult
To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant.
Rejoice
To feel joyful about (something)
Rejoiced that the ship reached land.
Exult
(Obsolete) To leap upward, especially for joy.
Rejoice
(Archaic) To fill with joy; gladden.
Exult
(intransitive) To rejoice; to be very happy, especially in triumph.
Rejoice
(intransitive) To be very happy, be delighted, exult; to feel joy.
Exult
To be in high spirits; figuratively, to leap for joy; to rejoice in triumph or exceedingly; to triumph; as, an exulting heart.
The dumb shall sing, the lame his crutch forego,And leap exulting like the bounding roe.
Rejoice
To have (someone) as a lover or spouse; to enjoy sexually.
Exult
Feel extreme happiness or elation
Rejoice
(transitive) To make happy, exhilarate.
Exult
To express great joy;
Who cannot exult in Spring?
Rejoice
(obsolete) To enjoy.
Rejoice
To feel joy; to experience gladness in a high degree; to have pleasurable satisfaction; to be delighted.
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy.
Rejoice
To enjoy.
Rejoice
To give joi to; to make joyful; to gladden.
I me rejoysed of my liberty.
While she, great saint, rejoices heaven.
Were he [Cain] alive, it would rejoice his soul to see what mischief it had made.
Rejoice
The act of rejoicing.
Rejoice
Feel happiness or joy
Rejoice
To express great joy;
Who cannot exult in Spring?
Rejoice
Be ecstatic with joy
Common Curiosities
Is exult more intense than rejoice?
Yes, exult implies a higher intensity of visible joy compared to rejoice.
Is exult always positive?
Mostly, yes, but it may sometimes carry a hint of boasting or triumph over others.
Can exult and rejoice be used interchangeably?
Not always, as exult is more about visible, exuberant joy, while rejoice includes quieter forms of happiness.
Does rejoice have a spiritual connotation?
Rejoice is often used in spiritual contexts, but can also describe general joy.
Can you exult in private?
Exult usually implies a public or noticeable display of joy.
Is rejoice always shared with others?
Not necessarily, rejoice can be an individual feeling but is often shared.
Can you rejoice without any specific event?
Generally, rejoice is tied to a specific cause, like good news or a positive event.
Can exult be used for quieter celebrations?
Exult typically describes more exuberant celebrations, while rejoice can fit quieter celebrations.
Can you rejoice without outwardly showing it?
Yes, rejoice can be felt internally and doesn't always require visible expressions.
Is exult considered a common word?
No, it's less common than rejoice and typically appears in specific celebratory contexts.
Does exult suggest overcoming a challenge?
Yes, it often implies joy after overcoming an obstacle or achieving victory.
Is exult related to exultation?
Yes, exultation is the noun form that describes the feeling or act of exulting.
Are both terms still used today?
Yes, both terms are in use but exult is less frequent than rejoice in everyday language.
Does exult suggest superiority?
It can imply a sense of triumph over adversity, sometimes hinting at superiority.
Is rejoice considered formal or informal?
Rejoice is slightly formal and is often used in religious or ceremonial contexts.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
