excite

[ik-sahyt]

verb (used with object)

excited, exciting 

1. to arouse or stir up the emotions or feelings of.

   to excite a person to anger; actions that excited his father's wrath.

   Synonyms: inflame, kindle, animate, stimulate, awaken, stir

2. to arouse or stir up (emotions or feelings).

   to excite jealousy or hatred.

   Synonyms: evoke

3. to cause; awaken.

   to excite interest or curiosity.

4. to stir to action; provoke or stir up.

   to excite a dog by baiting him.

   Synonyms: ruffle, agitate, disturb

5. Physiology.,  to stimulate.

   to excite a nerve.

6. Electricity.,  to supply with electricity for producing electric activity or a magnetic field.

   to excite a dynamo.

7. Physics.,  to raise (an atom, molecule, etc.) to an excited state.

excite

/ ɪkˈsaɪt /

verb

1. to arouse (a person) to strong feeling, esp to pleasurable anticipation or nervous agitation

2. to arouse or elicit (an emotion, response, etc); evoke

   her answers excited curiosity

3. to cause or bring about; stir up

   to excite a rebellion

4. to arouse sexually

5. physiol to cause a response in or increase the activity of (an organ, tissue, or part); stimulate

6. to raise (an atom, molecule, electron, nucleus, etc) from the ground state to a higher energy level

7. to supply electricity to (the coils of a generator or motor) in order to create a magnetic field

8. to supply a signal to a stage of an active electronic circuit

Other Word Forms

• preexcite verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of excite¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin excitāre, from ex- ex- ¹ + citāre “to move repeatedly, set in motion, summon” (from ciēre “to arouse, cause to go, move”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of excite¹

C14: from Latin excitāre, from exciēre to stimulate, from ciēre to set in motion, rouse

Example Sentences

"It is clear that the plan is to attempt to be a more physically imposing, ball-dominant and exciting team," added Irfan.

From BBC

“At age 19, she is already one of the most exciting players in the world,” Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s most excited, he says, to see their faces as they run out of the tunnel.

From Los Angeles Times

He added that there had been a number of strong proposals involving "exciting plans for the future", including those that could not be supported in this round.

From BBC

"London, at that stage, was such an exciting, vibrant and diverse city," he says.

From BBC

Related Words

• agitate 
• amaze 
• anger 
• animate 
• annoy 
• astound 
• bother 
• delight 
• disturb 
• energize 
• irritate 
• offend 
• thrill 
• turn on 
• vex 
• work up 
• worry