excellence
noun
ex·cel·lence
ˈek-s(ə-)lən(t)s 
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
Daniel Mendelsohn3
or Excellence
: excellency sense 2
Lord Regent, I do greet your Excellence …—William Shakespeare
William ShakespeareExamples 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
Once a story achieves the breakthrough velocity to become a franchise, it’s no longer rewarded for taking risks or striving for excellence.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
In this interview with Interesting Engineering (IE), Planing explains why engineering excellence alone rarely guarantees acceptance, and what technologists consistently underestimate about human behavior.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
Do it for Justin Simmons, who deserved better for his excellence against the Chiefs that was never rewarded.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Dec. 2025
The partners will collaborate on marketing strategy and execution, allowing Crown to focus on brand strategy and global licensing while using Rafar’s best-in-class capabilities to drive operational and product excellence.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excellence
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Judy Berman, Time, 26 Dec. 2025
In this interview with Interesting Engineering (IE), Planing explains why engineering excellence alone rarely guarantees acceptance, and what technologists consistently underestimate about human behavior.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
Do it for Justin Simmons, who deserved better for his excellence against the Chiefs that was never rewarded.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Dec. 2025
The partners will collaborate on marketing strategy and execution, allowing Crown to focus on brand strategy and global licensing while using Rafar’s best-in-class capabilities to drive operational and product excellence.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excellence
Cite this Entry
“Excellence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excellence. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
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excellence
noun
ex·cel·lence
ˈek-s(ə-)lən(t)s
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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