excite
Americanverb (used with object)
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to arouse or stir up the emotions or feelings of.
to excite a person to anger; actions that excited his father's wrath.
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to arouse or stir up (emotions or feelings).
to excite jealousy or hatred.
- Synonyms:
- evoke
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to cause; awaken.
to excite interest or curiosity.
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to stir to action; provoke or stir up.
to excite a dog by baiting him.
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Physiology. to stimulate.
to excite a nerve.
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Electricity. to supply with electricity for producing electric activity or a magnetic field.
to excite a dynamo.
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Physics. to raise (an atom, molecule, etc.) to an excited state.
verb
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to arouse (a person) to strong feeling, esp to pleasurable anticipation or nervous agitation
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to arouse or elicit (an emotion, response, etc); evoke
her answers excited curiosity
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to cause or bring about; stir up
to excite a rebellion
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to arouse sexually
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physiol to cause a response in or increase the activity of (an organ, tissue, or part); stimulate
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to raise (an atom, molecule, electron, nucleus, etc) from the ground state to a higher energy level
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to supply electricity to (the coils of a generator or motor) in order to create a magnetic field
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to supply a signal to a stage of an active electronic circuit
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has excitedperfect 3rd person singular
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have excitedperfect
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have been excitingperfect progressive
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are excitingprogressive
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is excitingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am excitingprogressive 1st person singular
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excitessingular 3rd person
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excitingparticiple
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has been excitingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had excitedperfect
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were excitingprogressive plural
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was excitingprogressive singular
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had been excitingperfect progressive
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excitedsimple
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excitedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of excite
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin excitāre, from ex- ex- 1 + citāre “to move repeatedly, set in motion, summon” (from ciēre “to arouse, cause to go, move”)
Explanation
To excite is to stimulate, animate, or energize. The return of your favorite TV show might excite you, and winning millions of dollars in the lottery will definitely excite you. While a new book by a beloved author excites one person, and an extra scoop of ice cream excites another, it might take something like a free trip to Hawaii to excite you. In quantum mechanics, the word excite takes on a more scientific meaning: to raise something, like an atom or an electron, to a higher level of energy. The Latin root of excite is excitare, "rouse, call out, or summon forth."
Vocabulary lists containing excite
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So far, its apps initiative has failed to excite, and it seems unlikely it can deliver a device that will convince consumers to trade in iPhones.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
That’s despite the company’s efforts to excite investors by broadening its business through partnerships and embracing new technology.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
That said, when the casting director on “Half Man” asked him about his “dream cast,” Gadd expressed Bell was the only one who would genuinely excite him.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
Recent launches, like Apple Intelligence, have failed to excite consumers, and an updated AI powered Siri launch has been delayed.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
“Oh,” Spoade said, “the champion of dames. Bud, you excite not only admiration, but horror.”
From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
