excite

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To make someone feel eager, enthusiastic, or emotionally stirred up.

   Grammar: Takes an object: excite the audience. Often used in the passive: I was excited by the news.

   Patterns

   • excite someone
   • excite someone about something
   • be excited by something

   The new game excited the children so much that they could not sit still.

   Her speech excited the crowd and they cheered for more.

   The possibility of a trip abroad excited him more than anything else.

2. 2verbtransitivetechnicalphysicsbiology

   To cause a physical system, such as an atom or nerve, to move to a higher energy state.

   Grammar: Takes an object: excite an electron. Common in physics and biology.

   Patterns

   • excite an atom
   • excite a nerve
   • excite electrons

   A photon can excite an electron to a higher energy level.

   The researcher used a mild electric current to excite the nerve cells.

   When light hits the material, it excites the atoms inside.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To cause a particular feeling or reaction in someone.

   Grammar: Takes an object: excite interest. Often used with abstract nouns like interest, curiosity, or suspicion.

   Patterns

   • excite interest
   • excite curiosity
   • excite suspicion

   The discovery excited great interest among scientists.

   His strange behavior excited suspicion among his neighbors.

   The teacher's question excited curiosity in the whole class.

Word forms

Common combinations

excite interest

The new exhibition excited interest from art lovers.

excite curiosity

The mysterious letter excited her curiosity.

excite the imagination

The story excited the imagination of young readers.

excite suspicion

His sudden departure excited suspicion.

excite comment

The decision excited much comment in the press.

Synonyms and how they differ

thrill

Thrill suggests a strong, sudden feeling of pleasure or excitement; excite is more general and can also mean to cause a reaction.

stimulate

Stimulate often means to encourage activity or growth, while excite can mean to stir up emotions or physical states.

arouse

Arouse is often used for feelings like interest or suspicion, similar to excite, but it can have sexual overtones.

Opposites

Word family

excitement noun

A feeling of eager enthusiasm.

exciting adjective

Causing strong feelings of enthusiasm.

excited adjective

Feeling eager and enthusiastic.

excitable adjective

Easily becoming excited.

Commonly confused: excite or exciting? excite or exited?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “excite”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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