What does excitingly mean?
Excitingly is an adverb meaning 'in a way that causes excitement, enthusiasm, or keen interest.' It is formed by adding the common adverbial suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'exciting,' which itself traces back through Latin excitare, 'to rouse or call forth.' The word is used to describe actions, events, or qualities that thrill or stimulate: a plot may unfold excitingly, a design may be excitingly modern, or a performer may behave excitingly on stage. Its connotation is almost entirely positive, marking whatever it describes as vivid, fresh, or engaging rather than dull or routine. In practice, excitingly tends to modify adjectives — phrases such as 'excitingly different' are among its most familiar contexts — and it appears especially often in reviews, arts journalism, advertising, and promotional writing, where evaluative language flourishes. It should not be confused with excitedly, which describes someone displaying their own excitement rather than something provoking it.
adverbIn a way that causes excitement, enthusiasm, or keen interest; thrillingly or stimulatingly.
- In an exciting manner; so as to arouse excitement, enthusiasm, or strong interest.
"The novel opens excitingly, with a shipwreck in the first chapter."
"The startup's pitch was excitingly ambitious, promising to reinvent urban transport."
"The chef plates each dish excitingly, pairing unexpected colors and textures."
Excitingly and excitedly differ by just two letters — but one describes a thrill you feel, and the other describes a thrill you give.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of excitingly
Excitingly derives from the verb excite, which English borrowed from Latin excitare, meaning 'to rouse, stir up, or call out,' a frequentative form of excitare's root associated with citare, 'to summon.' The adjective exciting emerged in the 17th century, first carrying the sense of stimulating or provoking action before settling into its modern meaning of arousing enthusiasm. Adding the productive suffix -ly yielded the adverb excitingly, following a pattern shared with countless English adverbs. It shares this Latin root with cognates such as incite and recitation, all descended from the same family of words about calling forth or stirring up.
Related word forms
How excitingly is actually used
Excitingly is a neutral adverb formed from 'exciting' + '-ly' and carries an overwhelmingly positive connotation. It most often modifies adjectives (excitingly original) rather than verbs, and appears more frequently in reviews, journalism, and marketing than in everyday conversation.
Easily confused with excitingly
Excitedly means showing one's own excitement, while excitingly describes something that causes excitement in others.