excite

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb excite contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of excite are pique, provoke, quicken, and stimulate. While all these words mean "to arouse as if by pricking," excite implies a stirring up or moving profoundly.

news that excited anger and frustration

When might pique be a better fit than excite?

Although the words pique and excite have much in common, pique suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge.

that remark piqued my interest

Where would provoke be a reasonable alternative to excite?

The meanings of provoke and excite largely overlap; however, provoke directs attention to the response called forth.

my stories usually provoke laughter

In what contexts can quicken take the place of excite?

The synonyms quicken and excite are sometimes interchangeable, but quicken implies beneficially stimulating and making active or lively.

the high salary quickened her desire to have the job

When is stimulate a more appropriate choice than excite?

The words stimulate and excite are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stimulate suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference.

stimulating conversation

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of excite Whether this excites or disappoints you, DeepSeek is not conscious. PC Magazine, 18 June 2025 The pink light throughout the image represents the gas excited by the radiation of newborn stars. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 June 2025 Several bought in immediately, excited for the opportunity to placate their own smartphone-eager kids. Rheana Murray, The Atlantic, 17 June 2025 Earlier this month, wildlife enthusiasts were excited over a pair of young bald eagles that flew out of their nest for the first time, hovering high above Big Bear Lake. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for excite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excite
Verb
  • Those people scanning the beach with metal detectors, hoping for a lucky find, might not be thrilled about what's next.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
  • Social media responds to Red Lobster seafood boils Social media users appear to be thrilled with the concept of seafood boils at Red Lobster.
    Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • News of the plan, which was developed by city administrators but has not been publicly vetted or discussed, has provoked considerable consternation in political, downtown, cultural and preservation circles.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
  • Furthermore, a closure would also provoke Iran's market in Asia, particularly China, which accounts for a majority of Iranian oil exports.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Does the thought of a new Young Frankenstein, um, electrify you?
    Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 25 June 2025
  • Newsweek Sports published a report in April suggesting that while NASCAR has no plans to electrify the Cup Series, David Ragan, the development driver of NASCAR's electric vehicle project, revealed an interesting trend that could hint at a step away from tradition in the future.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Popular online influencers with millions of followers have encouraged Holocaust denial.
    Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 30 June 2025
  • The return of blue-book exams might disadvantage students who were encouraged to master typing at a young age.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The sequel has plenty of the same horror-comedy elements that delighted audiences a couple years ago, but there’s also a major action upgrade that resembles the paths that Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day took from their predecessors.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
  • The combination of microservices with edge computing CDNs and micro frontends creates a robust application development framework that enables fast, resilient and scalable applications that delight users while driving business expansion.
    Raju Dandigam, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • In fact, scientists say today's children are exposed to far fewer antigens—the components that stimulate immune responses—than their grandparents were, despite receiving more immunizations overall.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • The Cancer new moon stimulates your visionary capacities.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The La Posada and Felix Cantina story blends the Hallmark charm of Milford (Small-town USA) with the capital of The Yucatán, Mérida, celebrating culture and inspired by tradition.
    Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Keep scrolling to shop more capri pants inspired by celebrities now.
    Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Personally, however, your idealism will be aroused.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 13 June 2025
  • For instance, people often mistake a dog’s wagging tail as a sign of happiness, but the American Kennel Club suggests that the wagging movement only indicates that the dog is emotionally aroused.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Excite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excite. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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