What does exciting mean?
Exciting is an adjective describing something that arouses strong enthusiasm, interest, or anticipation. A film, an opportunity, a piece of news, or a period of change can all be described as exciting when they stir energy and eager attention in those who encounter them. The word carries an overwhelmingly positive connotation and is at home in every register, from casual conversation to business journalism: companies announce exciting developments, critics praise exciting performances, and travellers plan exciting trips. It belongs to a productive family of participial adjectives in which the -ing form names the cause of a feeling and the -ed form names its experiencer, so an exciting story makes readers excited. Derived from the Latin excitare, meaning to rouse or call forth, the word entered English through the verb excite and has long since shed any literal sense of physical agitation. Its versatility and warmth make it one of the most widely used evaluative adjectives in modern English.
adjectiveCausing great enthusiasm, interest, or eagerness; thrilling or stimulating.
- Causing enthusiasm, thrill, or keen interest; stimulating.
"The team announced an exciting new venture that had investors buzzing for weeks."
"She received exciting news about her acceptance into the fellowship."
"The match ended in an exciting finish that kept fans on their feet until the final whistle."
Every 'exciting' you've ever said traces back to a Latin verb about literally setting something on fire.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exciting
Exciting is the present participle of the verb excite, which English borrowed from the Latin excitare, a frequentative form meaning 'to rouse, summon, or call forth', itself derived from exciare ('to call out') and ultimately related to citare, 'to set in motion'. The verb entered English in the late Middle Ages via French-influenced Latin usage, initially carrying senses of rousing or stirring physically and emotionally. Its adjectival use, in which the participle describes something that produces excitement, became established over subsequent centuries alongside cognates such as incite and recite, all tracing back to the same Latin root family around citare and ciere, 'to arouse or set moving'.
Related word forms
How exciting is actually used
Fully standard in both formal and informal registers. It is an -ing form used adjectivally (a present participle functioning as an adjective), describing the thing that causes the feeling, whereas 'excited' describes the person feeling it.
Easily confused with exciting
'Exiting' means leaving or departing, while 'exciting' means thrilling — the two differ by only one letter but are unrelated in meaning.