excite

verb

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ex·cite | \ ik-ˈsīt

, ek- \

excited; exciting

Definition of excite

transitive verb

1a : to call to activity

b : to rouse to an emotional response scenes to excite the hardest man to pity

c : to arouse (something, such as a strong emotional response) by appropriate stimuli excite enthusiasm for the new regime— Arthur Knight

2a : energize excite an electromagnet

b : to produce a magnetic field in excite a dynamo

3 : to increase the activity of (something, such as a living organism) : stimulate

4 : to raise (an atomic nucleus, an atom, a molecule, etc.) to a higher energy level

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about excite

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Choose the Right Synonym for excite

provoke, excite, stimulate, pique, quicken mean to arouse as if by pricking. provoke directs attention to the response called forth. my stories usually provoke laughter excite implies a stirring up or moving profoundly. news that excited anger and frustration stimulate suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference. stimulating conversation pique suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge. that remark piqued my interest quicken implies beneficially stimulating and making active or lively. the high salary quickened her desire to have the job

Examples of excite in a Sentence

ideas that excite young people Our announcement excited the children. The posters excited much interest in the show.

Recent Examples on the Web This brought on some of the biggest losses and rebounds of the year, as investors factored the economic costs of the trade war into their forecasts and got excited by hopes of a deal to end the uncertainty. — Anneken Tappe, CNN, "Stocks had a stellar year in 2019," 28 Dec. 2019 Zedd fans, get excited for 2020: a new album might be on the way. — Kat Bein, Billboard, "Is Zedd Finally Releasing a New Album in 2020?," 26 Dec. 2019 The app had scores of positive reviews, particularly from users in the UAE who were excited about its lack of restrictions. — Lily Hay Newman, Wired, "Uninstall This Alleged Emirati Spy App From Your Phone Now," 22 Dec. 2019 Only about one percent of the electrons excited by incoming light went on to participate in a chemical reaction. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Photovoltaic… enzymes?," 19 Dec. 2019 The sight of a sky full of lightning gets a Homestead High School student excited for all of its possibilities. — Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Homestead student has become Mequon's 'chief meteorologist'," 16 Dec. 2019 Because little changes, there is little to report that will excite audiences. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "Why the Media Is Ignoring the Afghanistan Papers," 13 Dec. 2019 So when The Game, a spinoff of her series Girlfriends, premiered on The CW in 2006, fans were excited. — Joi-marie Mckenzie, Essence, "A Definitive List Of The Best Black TV Shows Of The Decade," 24 Dec. 2019 The idea of adding more apartments to that site excites our members. — Roland Li, SFChronicle.com, "Burned North Beach building ignites new development battle," 21 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'excite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.