excitement

noun

ex·​cite·​ment ik-ˈsīt-mənt How to pronounce excitement (audio)
Synonyms of excitement
1
: something that excites or rouses
2
: the action of exciting : the state of being excited

Synonyms of excitement

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of excitement in a Sentence

Our excitement was building as the end of the game approached. His hands shook with excitement. The child cried out in excitement. a trip filled with excitement and adventure She talked about the excitements of her new life. This job loses its excitement after a while.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But now, as excitement swirls over social media giant Meta Platforms' AI agent, traders are pouring into Snap call options on Monday, propelling trading volume to more than four times the month-long average, Cboe LiveVol data show. — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 Impact flashes have been seen before, but these ones on the dark side of the Moon could have been the faintest observed with the human eye, and everyone’s excitement is palpable in the clip. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 11 Oct. 2026 Some are optimistic about the team's depth and potential, recalling past successes and expressing excitement for the current season. — Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2026 The hotel just opened, so maybe that’s what accounts for it, but there’s a real atmosphere of excitement, and the staff seems to want to represent the greatest manifestation of the Four Seasons brand. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for excitement

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of excitement was in 1604

Phrases Containing excitement

Rhymes for excitement

See All Rhymes for excitement

Browse Nearby Words

excited state
excitement
exciter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excitement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excitement. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

excitement

noun
ex·​cite·​ment ik-ˈsīt-mənt How to pronounce excitement (audio)
1
: something that excites
2
: the state of being excited : agitation

Medical Definition

excitement

noun
ex·​cite·​ment -ˈsīt-mənt How to pronounce excitement (audio)
1
: the act of exciting
2
: the state of being excited: as
a
: aroused, augmented, or abnormal activity of an organism or functioning of an organ or part
b
: extreme motor hyperactivity (as in catatonic schizophrenia or bipolar disorder)
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All