excellence

noun

ex·​cel·​lence ˈek-s(ə-)lən(t)s How to pronounce excellence (audio)
Synonyms of excellence
1
: the quality of being excellent
an award for academic excellence
setting a high standard of excellence
see also black excellence
2
plural excellences : an excellent or valuable quality : virtue
… I am as admiring as almost everyone else of the film's many excellences …—Daniel Mendelsohn
3
or Excellence : excellency sense 2
Lord Regent, I do greet your Excellence …—William Shakespeare

Synonyms of excellence

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Examples of excellence in a Sentence

The school is known for the excellence of its teachers. an award for academic excellence setting a high standard of excellence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The competition for both individuals and teams will test excellence in American sports like football, basketball, soccer, and track, Freedom 250 announced on July 10. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026 That is definitely the biggest surprise—that there’s no limit to artistic excellence. — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Then the offense started to click, and the defense maintained its excellence. — David Troy, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Music should be competing based on artistic excellence, not separated by geography or ethnicity. — Jae-Ha Kim, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for excellence

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of excellence was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing excellence

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excellence
excellency
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Cite this Entry

“Excellence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excellence. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

excellence

noun
ex·​cel·​lence ˈek-s(ə-)lən(t)s How to pronounce excellence (audio)
1
: high quality
2
: an excellent quality : virtue
3
: excellency sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on excellence

Nglish: Translation of excellence for Spanish Speakers

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