excellence
noun
ex·cel·lence
ˈek-s(ə-)lən(t)s 
1
: the quality of being excellent
an award for academic excellence
setting a high standard of excellence
see also black excellence
2
plural excellences
: an excellent or valuable quality : virtue
… I am as admiring as almost everyone else of the film's many excellences …—
Daniel Mendelsohn
Daniel Mendelsohn3
or Excellence
: excellency sense 2
Lord Regent, I do greet your Excellence …—William Shakespeare
William ShakespeareExamples of excellence in a Sentence
The school is known for the excellence of its teachers.
an award for academic excellence
setting a high standard of excellence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mercy named to Newsweek list Newsweek magazine named the Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers one of the World's Best Hospitals, recognizing it for its ongoing commitment to high-quality care, patient experience and clinical excellence among top-tier hospitals worldwide.
—Mark Mondier, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
Speaker applications open for 2027 safety conference Safety experts will have the opportunity to share their insights and help elevate safety excellence in the workplace during the Northwest Indiana Business RoundTable 2027 Beyond Safety Conference.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Each project was evaluated for merit, innovation and contextual excellence, and the 200 firms selected were collectively deemed to most closely meet the highest standards of American residential architecture.
—Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Cantor was referring to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, formed in 1927 and seen as a company union whose main purpose was less to honor excellence in the motion picture arts than to keep a tight rein on artists who wanted a bigger slice of the pie.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excellence
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Mark Mondier, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
Speaker applications open for 2027 safety conference Safety experts will have the opportunity to share their insights and help elevate safety excellence in the workplace during the Northwest Indiana Business RoundTable 2027 Beyond Safety Conference.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Each project was evaluated for merit, innovation and contextual excellence, and the 200 firms selected were collectively deemed to most closely meet the highest standards of American residential architecture.
—Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Cantor was referring to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, formed in 1927 and seen as a company union whose main purpose was less to honor excellence in the motion picture arts than to keep a tight rein on artists who wanted a bigger slice of the pie.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excellence
Cite this Entry
“Excellence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excellence. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
excellence
noun
ex·cel·lence
ˈek-s(ə-)lən(t)s
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
