excite

[ik-sahyt]

verb (used with object)

excited, exciting 

1. to arouse or stir up the emotions or feelings of.

   to excite a person to anger; actions that excited his father's wrath.

   Synonyms: inflame, kindle, animate, stimulate, awaken, stir

2. to arouse or stir up (emotions or feelings).

   to excite jealousy or hatred.

   Synonyms: evoke

3. to cause; awaken.

   to excite interest or curiosity.

4. to stir to action; provoke or stir up.

   to excite a dog by baiting him.

   Synonyms: ruffle, agitate, disturb

5. Physiology.,  to stimulate.

   to excite a nerve.

6. Electricity.,  to supply with electricity for producing electric activity or a magnetic field.

   to excite a dynamo.

7. Physics.,  to raise (an atom, molecule, etc.) to an excited state.

excite

/ ɪkˈsaɪt /

verb

1. to arouse (a person) to strong feeling, esp to pleasurable anticipation or nervous agitation

2. to arouse or elicit (an emotion, response, etc); evoke

   her answers excited curiosity

3. to cause or bring about; stir up

   to excite a rebellion

4. to arouse sexually

5. physiol to cause a response in or increase the activity of (an organ, tissue, or part); stimulate

6. to raise (an atom, molecule, electron, nucleus, etc) from the ground state to a higher energy level

7. to supply electricity to (the coils of a generator or motor) in order to create a magnetic field

8. to supply a signal to a stage of an active electronic circuit

Other Word Forms

• preexcite verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of excite¹

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”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of excite¹

C14: from Latin excitāre, from exciēre to stimulate, from ciēre to set in motion, rouse

Example Sentences

He also seemed like the type who never took the crowds for granted or how excited people were to see him.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That’s why I’m excited to put this special out, for people to see that side of me.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"I'm very excited - it's such a relief," she said.

Read more on BBC

"I was so excited, I wanted everyone to know I was dating Posh Spice," the former England captain says.

Read more on BBC

It said many staff "were excited by the potential of AI but wary of its use" adding that they "generally expressed caution about AI's potential issues, such as accuracy, bias, and safeguarding risks".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• agitate 
• amaze 
• anger 
• animate 
• annoy 
• astound 
• bother 
• delight 
• disturb 
• energize 
• irritate 
• offend 
• thrill 
• turn on 
• vex 
• work up 
• worry