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Synonyms

exciting

American  
[ik-sahy-ting] / ɪkˈsaɪ tɪŋ /

adjective

  1. producing excitement; stirring; thrilling.

    an exciting account of his trip to Tibet.


exciting British  
/ ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing excitement; stirring; stimulating

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • excitingly adverb
  • nonexciting adjective
  • unexciting adjective

Etymology

Origin of exciting

First recorded in 1805–15; excite + -ing 2

Explanation

When something is exciting, it is full of activity and gets your blood pumping. Anything causing excitement is exciting. If your heart is racing and you’re thrilled, exhilarated, or jumping up and down with anticipation, something must be exciting. Different people find different things exciting. A close football game is exciting for fans. Being in love is exciting for just about anyone. Learning something new, whether French or juggling, is exciting. An action movie is supposed to be exciting — if it's not, it must not be very good. When you have exciting news, you can't wait to share it.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing exciting

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.

"It's very exciting as a scientist to find something unexpected like this that we weren't looking for," said Daniel Katz, CU Boulder chemistry PhD student and lead author of the study.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

So that’s all quite new and it’s very exciting because it kind of makes you feel safer and freer to be more yourself.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

"You've seen the... industry reinvest in itself, focus on creating even more grand and exciting experiences at the theater, and you're starting to see audiences come back, particularly younger audiences," he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Maritime industry specialists say the ships have long been overlooked as administrations prefer to spend on more exciting vessels such as submarines and battleships.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

‘I don’t know. Bubbe always made such a big deal of us not being allowed in the attic. I suppose I thought there’d be something really exciting hidden up here.’

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler