Exciting — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ik-ˈsī-tiŋ/ ex·cit·ing

Meaning & Definition of Exciting

Exciting (adjective)

  1. producing excitement

Exciting (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing great emotional or mental stimulation

    "an exciting, come-from-behind victory for the underdogs in the last game of the World Series"

    similar: breathtaking, charged, electric, electrifying, exhilarating, exhilarative, galvanic, galvanizing, hair-raising, heart-stopping, inspiring, intoxicating, kicky, mind-bending, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling
    related: arresting, interesting, intriguing, provocative, tantalizing, titillating, absorbing, engrossing, gripping, riveting, moving, poignant, touching, enchanting, enthralling, fascinating, spellbinding, dynamic, energetic, high-voltage, kinetic, lively, lusty
    opposite: unexciting
    near: boring, mind-numbing, tedious, tiresome, dreary, dull, humdrum, monotonous, uninteresting

  2. serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction

    "and what exciting news have you for us today?"

    similar: charged, edgy, inciting, instigating, instigative, piquing, provocative, provoking, stimulating
    related: explosive, fiery, incendiary, inflammatory, triggering, inducing, inspirational, inspiring, motivating, motivational, motivative, jeering, taunting, teasing, activating, energizing, galvanizing, quickening, vitalizing, angering, enraging, maddening, upsetting, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, exasperating, galling, irksome, irritating, pesky, vexatious, vexing
    opposite: noninflammatory
    near: subduing

Exciting (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings

    "for some reason the first snowfall of the season never fails to excite us"

    similar: charging, electrifying, exhilarating, galvanizing, intoxicating, pumping up, thrilling, titillating, turning on
    related: arousing, inciting, inspiring, provoking, stimulating, bewitching, captivating, charming, delighting, enchanting, enthralling, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, riveting, spellbinding, interesting, intriguing, tantalizing
    near: boring, jading, palling, tiring, wearying, dejecting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting

  2. to rouse to strong feeling or action

    "televised pictures of the victims of the famine that would excite any viewer to pity"

    similar: arousing, encouraging, firing (up), impassioning, inciting, instigating, moving, piquing, provoking, revving (up), sparking, stimulating, stirring, building a fire under
    related: fanning, igniting, inflaming, kindling, triggering, activating, animating, driving, energizing, galvanizing, inducing, inspiring, keying (up), motivating, motiving, pumping up, quickening, setting off, vitalizing, abetting, fermenting, fomenting, raising, whipping (up), angering, enraging, maddening, upsetting, jeering, taunting, teasing, aggravating, annoying, bothering, exasperating, galling, getting, irritating, vexing
    near: calming, soothing, subduing, tranquilizing, appeasing, mollifying, pacifying, placating

Related Entry: Excite (verb)

Excite is a different word from Exciting. The synonyms below are for excite, not for exciting.

  1. to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings

    "for some reason the first snowfall of the season never fails to excite us"

    similar: charge, electrify, exhilarate, galvanize, intoxicate, pump up, thrill, titillate, turn on
    related: arouse, incite, inspire, provoke, stimulate, bewitch, captivate, charm, delight, enchant, enthrall, hypnotize, mesmerize, rivet, spellbind, interest, intrigue, tantalize
    near: bore, jade, pall, tire, weary, deject, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit

  2. to rouse to strong feeling or action

    "televised pictures of the victims of the famine that would excite any viewer to pity"

    similar: arouse, encourage, fire (up), impassion, incite, instigate, move, pique, provoke, rev (up), spark, stimulate, stir, build a fire under
    related: fan, ignite, inflame, kindle, trigger, activate, animate, drive, energize, galvanize, induce, inspire, key (up), motivate, motive, pump up, quicken, set off, vitalize, abet, ferment, foment, raise, whip (up), anger, enrage, madden, upset, jeer, taunt, tease, aggravate, annoy, bother, exasperate, gall, get, irritate, vex
    near: calm, soothe, subdue, tranquilize, appease, mollify, pacify, placate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Exciting

The most common words with a similar meaning to Exciting:

breathtaking, charged, electric, electrifying, exhilarating, exhilarative, galvanic, galvanizing, hair-raising, heart-stopping, inspiring, intoxicating, kicky, mind-bending, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, edgy, inciting, instigating, instigative, piquing, provocative, provoking, charging, pumping up, titillating, turning on, arousing, encouraging, firing (up), impassioning, moving, revving (up), sparking, building a fire under

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Exciting

Words with the opposite meaning of Exciting:

unexciting, noninflammatory

Related Words for Exciting

arresting, interesting, intriguing, tantalizing, absorbing, engrossing, gripping, riveting, poignant, touching, enchanting, enthralling, fascinating, spellbinding, dynamic, energetic, high-voltage, kinetic, lively, lusty, explosive, fiery, incendiary, inflammatory, triggering, inducing, inspirational, motivating, motivational, motivative

Near Antonyms of Exciting

boring, mind-numbing, tedious, tiresome, dreary, dull, humdrum, monotonous, uninteresting, subduing, jading, palling, tiring, wearying, dejecting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, calming, soothing, tranquilizing, appeasing, mollifying, pacifying, placating

Word Forms of Exciting

Derived words: excitingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Exciting

First known use: 1647

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Exciting

Frequently Asked Questions about Exciting

What does "Exciting" mean?

"Exciting" means producing excitement. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: producing excitement. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Exciting"?

Other words for "Exciting" include breathtaking, charged, electric, electrifying, exhilarating, exhilarative, galvanic and galvanizing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Exciting" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Exciting"?

There are 113 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Exciting". Common alternatives include breathtaking, charged, electric, electrifying, exhilarating, exhilarative, galvanic, galvanizing, hair-raising and heart-stopping.

What is the opposite of "Exciting"?

Antonyms of "Exciting" include unexciting and noninflammatory. Near antonyms include boring, mind-numbing, tedious and tiresome.

How do you use "Exciting" in a sentence?

Examples of "Exciting" in a sentence: "an exciting, come-from-behind victory for the underdogs in the last game of the World Series"; "and what exciting news have you for us today?"; "for some reason the first snowfall of the season never fails to excite us".

Is "Exciting" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Exciting" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Exciting" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Exciting" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Exciting"?

"Exciting" is pronounced /ik-ˈsī-tiŋ/ and divided into syllables as ex·cit·ing.