What does excitably mean?
Excitably is an adverb meaning in an excited manner, with excitement, enthusiasm, or an unusually energetic response. It typically describes the way a person reacts, speaks, or moves: someone might wave excitably, answer excitably, or respond excitably to a piece of good news. The word is grammatically straightforward but less common in everyday English than the shorter and more familiar excitedly. Its use can be neutral, simply indicating visible enthusiasm, or mildly critical when it suggests that a reaction is unusually intense, impulsive, or hard to contain. Excitably is especially associated with formal or descriptive writing, though its meaning is not restricted to any one region. Its value lies in showing that excitement is a manner of behaving rather than naming the feeling itself. For precise variation, writers may choose animatedly, eagerly, or enthusiastically to emphasize enthusiasm, or calmly and composedly to provide a clear contrast.
adverbIn an excited manner, with excitement or enthusiastic emotional energy. It can also suggest an unusually intense or volatile reaction.
- In an excited manner; with excitement, enthusiasm, or unusually intense emotional energy.
"At the sight of the parcel, she bounced excitably toward the door."
"At the sight of the parcel, she bounced excitably toward the door."
"The committee reacted excitably to the proposal, calling for an immediate vote."
Excitably wears its grammar on its sleeve: the ending -ably turns the adjective excited into an adverb.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does excitably come from?
Excitably is an English adverb formed from excited and the suffix -ably, which turns an adjective into an adverb. Excited belongs to the English word family derived from excite, which came through French exciter from Latin excitare, meaning “to rouse” or “set in motion.” The Latin verb was formed with ex-, meaning “out,” and citare, meaning “to summon,” and related English words include excitable, exciting, and excitation.
How excitably is actually used
Excitably is less common in contemporary English than the shorter, more familiar excitedly. It is especially suited to formal or descriptive writing and may carry a mildly critical implication when it describes someone who appears unusually impulsive, emotional, or difficult to calm.
Easily confused with excitably
Excitably is an adverb describing how someone acts or reacts, whereas excitable is an adjective describing someone as easily excited or emotionally responsive.