excitable
Americanadjective
-
easily excited.
Prima donnas had the reputation of being excitable and temperamental.
- Synonyms:
- fiery, passionate, emotional
- Antonyms:
- placid
-
capable of being excited.
adjective
-
easily excited; volatile
-
(esp of a nerve) ready to respond to a stimulus
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of excitable
From the Late Latin word excitābilis, dating back to 1600–10. See excite, -able
Explanation
Someone who's excitable easily becomes excited, enthusiastic, or eager. A five-year-old will be especially excitable at her own birthday party. When you describe someone as excitable, you'll usually mean it as a mild criticism — the person is easily overstimulated, and becomes excited far too readily. Passing out candy in an elementary school classroom — or bacon among a bunch of puppies — will demonstrate just how excitable a group can be. Excitable comes from the Latin excitabilis, "inciting or animating," from excitare, "stir up" or "awaken."
Vocabulary lists containing excitable
Twelve Angry Men
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Orphan Train Girl
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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.
This change increased the number of GluK4 glutamate receptors, making certain neurons more excitable than normal.
From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026
While we’re giving advice, one imagines the Vatican has many excitable monsignors running the pontiff’s social-media accounts, and one suspects they are hyped to show the pope is giving rizz.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
The fine arts have long struggled with a so-called graying audience, and have moved mountains to innovate in ways that keep the genres fresh in order to attract younger, excitable crowds.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026
Their excitable human creators are making big promises but I wanted to see how realistic the idea of a robot housekeeper really is.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026
“You’ll excuse me, sir, but the elderly American lady is in what I might describe as a state, sir. She’s saying she knows all about the murderer. She’s in a very excitable condition, sir.”
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
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.
