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Synonyms

excitement

American  
[ik-sahyt-muhnt] / ɪkˈsaɪt mənt /

noun

  1. an excited state or condition.

    Synonyms:
    ado, commotion, perturbation
    Antonyms:
    serenity
  2. something that excites.


excitement British  
/ ɪkˈsaɪtmənt /

noun

  1. the state of being excited

  2. a person or thing that excites; stimulation or thrill

"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

Related Words

See agitation.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of excitement

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English excitament, “encouragement,” from Medieval Latin excitāmentum; excite + -ment

Explanation

Excitement is a feeling or situation full of activity, joy, exhilaration, or upheaval. One thing about excitement — it sure isn't boring. There are a few types of excitement, but they're all exciting — they get your attention. If you can't wait for your birthday, you're feeling a happy kind of excitement. If everyone in class is screaming and throwing things, the teacher might ask, "What's all the excitement about?" A sleeping dog is resting — no excitement there. But a dog that’s jumping, barking, and running in circles when his owner comes home is feeling and causing a lot of excitement.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing excitement

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.

Defenders of the black-and-white aesthetic eventually won the war, though, as the public’s excitement for this supposed innovation waned.

From Salon • May 8, 2026

Yet a Goldman Sachs analyst sees potential for renewed excitement once the company reports earnings later this month.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Brown also expressed his excitement to continue his work on the series, thanking Gardiner and HBO "for putting their faith in me to continue this remarkable journey".

From BBC • May 6, 2026

"We love the excitement, but sharing locations and visiting set disrupts filming," the post said.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Woo jumps up on Autumn’s shoulders and bends his knees in excitement a few times.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer