excitable

excitable — adjective

1. quick to become enthusiastic, excited, or emotional about things, often more int

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

quick to become enthusiastic, excited, or emotional about things, often more intensely than other people would

Example

The new puppy was so excitable that he barked at every passing car.

so + adjective + that-clause (result pattern)

Rania's excitable nature made her a lively classroom presence.

attributive use: excitable + nature

Common collocations
  • excitable nature
  • excitable temperament
  • excitable puppy
  • excitable child
  • excitable crowd
  • highly excitable
Synonyms
  • lively

    more positive; implies cheerful energy and enthusiasm rather than nervous agitation

  • high-strung

    more negative; suggests nervous tension and being easily stressed rather than enthusiastically excited

  • emotional

    broader; emphasizes deep feelings including sadness, not just excitement

Antonyms
  • calm

    opposite temperament — not easily disturbed or excited

  • placid

    more formal; describes someone who stays unruffled in situations that would excite others

Grammar Patterns

excitable + noun

seem/become/grow + excitable

Usage Note

Typically describes a person's character or an animal's temperament, not a temporary mood. Common with animals (especially puppies) and young children.

Common Mistakes

She was excitable about the trip tomorrow.
She was excited about the trip tomorrow.
'Excitable' describes a personality trait, not a temporary feeling about a specific event.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Excitable, lively, high-strung, and emotional all describe a person's tendency to react strongly, but each has a distinct nuance. Excitable focuses on becoming enthusiastic or agitated very quickly — an excitable person might start cheering before a game even begins. Lively has a more positive tone, suggesting cheerful energy and active engagement with the world, like someone who enjoys chatting with strangers at a party. High-strung is more negative, pointing to nervous tension and a tendency to become stressed over small things, such as worrying about a minor change in plans. Emotional emphasizes deep feelings — both happy and sad — rather than excitement in particular. An emotional person might cry at a touching advertisement, while an excitable person would bounce in their seat with anticipation. Choosing the right word helps convey the exact shade of personality you mean.

excitable ↗lively ↗high-strungemotional ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • grow excitable
  • become excitable
  • get excitable

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from 'excite' (from Latin excitare, meaning 'to rouse' or 'to call out') combined with the suffix '-able' (meaning 'able to be' or 'tending to'). The word literally suggests someone who can be roused into a state of excitement easily.