Exciting describes something that causes strong feelings of interest, joy, or enthusiasm. It makes people feel more awake and emotionally stirred.
It comes from the present participle of 'excite', from Latin 'excitare' meaning 'to stir up, arouse'. The word shifted from physical stirring to emotional stimulation.
What counts as 'exciting' depends heavily on your history—one person’s thrilling roller coaster is another person’s nightmare. The word really describes what your body and brain do, not just what the activity is.
“Exciting” itself is neutral, but social patterns have sometimes framed activities coded as feminine as “just exciting” or frivolous, while calling masculine-coded pursuits “serious” or “important.” This can subtly devalue women’s interests and achievements by relegating them to entertainment.
Use “exciting” for any topic or achievement regardless of gender associations, and avoid contrasting “exciting” with “serious” in a way that trivializes women’s or marginalized groups’ work. When relevant, pair “exciting” with descriptors like “important,” “rigorous,” or “impactful.”
["engaging","compelling","thrilling","promising","high-impact"]
Women journalists, critics, and scholars have challenged the idea that subjects popular with women are merely “exciting” but not serious, helping broaden what is recognized as culturally and intellectually significant.
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