excitement

noun

ex·​cite·​ment ik-ˈsīt-mənt 

1

: something that excites or rouses

2

: the action of exciting : the state of being excited

Synonyms of excitement

• encouragement
• stimulation
• stimulus
• motivation
• incentive

Examples of excitement in a Sentence

Our excitement was building as the end of the game approached.

His hands shook with excitement.

The child cried out in excitement.

a trip filled with excitement and adventure

She talked about the excitements of her new life.

This job loses its excitement after a while.

Recent Examples on the Web

There wasn’t this kind of excitement when John Mara and Ernie Accorsi hired Coughlin, even though Coughlin had taken an expansion team in Jacksonville to the AFC championship game. —Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026

Ever since 1939, when King George VI became the first British monarch to set foot on the soil of the country’s former colony, there’s been a special sort of excitement whenever the royals come to the United States. —ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026

Some celebrate it with smiles or excitement. —Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026

Meanwhile, freshmen Terrious Favors and Rasean Jones are stirring excitement around the program despite their inexperience. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing excitement

• hyper-excitement
• tingle with excitement

Rhymes for excitement

• incitement
• indictment

Kids Definition

excitement

noun

ex·​cite·​ment ik-ˈsīt-mənt 

1

: something that excites

2

: the state of being excited : agitation

Medical Definition

excitement

noun

ex·​cite·​ment -ˈsīt-mənt 

1

: the act of exciting

2

: the state of being excited: as

a

: aroused, augmented, or abnormal activity of an organism or functioning of an organ or part

b

: extreme motor hyperactivity (as in catatonic schizophrenia or bipolar disorder)