excellent

adjective

ex·​cel·​lent ˈek-s(ə-)lənt How to pronounce excellent (audio)
1
: very good of its kind : eminently good : first-class
2
archaic : superior
excellently adverb

Examples of excellent in a Sentence

Her new movie has received excellent reviews. He is an excellent role model for young men everywhere. The car is in excellent condition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Seville is known for having excellent regular-season races and running masterful rounds in major championships. Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 Sunday would be an excellent time to reach a new milestone. Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025 Moisture recovery ranged from good to excellent, with morning relative humidity levels between 55% and 88%. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025 Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are kicking off a brand new excellent adventure. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for excellent

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin excellent-, excellens, from present participle of excellere

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of excellent was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excellent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excellent. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

excellent

adjective
ex·​cel·​lent ˈek-s(ə-)lənt How to pronounce excellent (audio)
: very good of its kind : first-class
excellently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on excellent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!