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Meaning & use

excitability

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ɪkˌsaɪ.təˈbɪl.ə.ti/
US/ɪkˌsaɪ.t̬əˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    A tendency to become excited, restless or emotionally stirred up very easily.

    Grammar: Describes a lasting trait, not a single moment: the puppy's excitability.

    Patterns

    • excitability in someone
    • the excitability of someone

    The teacher noticed the children's excitability on the last day of term.

    Her excitability made it hard to calm her before the show.

    Too much sugar seems to increase my son's excitability.

  2. noununcountablemedicalbiology

    The ability of a nerve or muscle cell to react quickly to a stimulus.

    Grammar: Scientific sense: neuronal excitability is how readily a nerve cell fires.

    Patterns

    • the excitability of neurons

    The drug lowers the excitability of nerve cells in the brain.

    Researchers measured the excitability of the muscle after exercise.

Common combinations

emotional excitability
Emotional excitability is common in young children.
increased excitability
The medicine can cause increased excitability.
neuronal excitability
Neuronal excitability changes during sleep.
a trait of excitability
Excitability is a trait of that breed of dog.
reduce excitability
Quiet music may reduce excitability in the classroom.

Synonyms and how they differ

excitement
Excitement is a feeling at one time, whereas excitability is the tendency to get excited.
volatility
Volatility suggests sudden shifts of mood, which can be negative, while excitability is mainly about being easily stirred.
restlessness
Restlessness stresses an inability to stay still, which is only one effect of excitability.
irritability
Irritability means getting annoyed easily, while excitability is about getting stirred up in any direction.

Opposites

calmnesscomposure

Word family

excitable adjective
easily excited
excite verb
to cause strong feeling or activity
excitement noun
a feeling of lively interest
excited adjective
full of eager feeling
excitedly adverb
in an eager, thrilled way

Commonly confused: excitability or excitement?

excitability vs excitement

Excitement is a passing feeling, while excitability is a long-term tendency to become excited.

Practice

The vet explained that the puppy's ___ is normal at that age and will fade.

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