stimulate

verb

stim·​u·​late ˈstim-yə-ˌlāt 
stimulated; stimulating
Synonyms of stimulate

transitive verb

1
: to excite to activity or growth or to greater activity : animate, arouse
2
a
: to function as a physiological stimulus to
b
: to arouse or affect by a stimulant (such as a drug)

intransitive verb

: to act as a stimulant or stimulus
stimulation
ˌstim-yə-ˈlā-shən 
noun
stimulative
ˈstim-yə-ˌlā-tiv 
adjective
stimulator
ˈstim-yə-ˌlā-tər 
noun
stimulatory
ˈstim-yə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 
adjective

Synonyms of stimulate

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for stimulate

provoke, excite, stimulate, pique, quicken mean to arouse as if by pricking.

provoke directs attention to the response called forth.

my stories usually provoke laughter

excite implies a stirring up or moving profoundly.

news that excited anger and frustration

stimulate suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference.

stimulating conversation

pique suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge.

that remark piqued my interest

quicken implies beneficially stimulating and making active or lively.

the high salary quickened her desire to have the job

Examples of stimulate in a Sentence

A raise in employee wages might stimulate production. The economy was not stimulated by the tax cuts. a hormone that stimulates the growth of muscle tissue Their discussion stimulated him to research the subject more. He was stimulated by their discussion.
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.
Oddly enough, lifting weights or using resistance bands can stimulate neural pathways responsible for motor control. — Connie Etermadi, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 In humans and other animals the isothiocyanates stimulate sensory receptors in the mouth and nose, resulting in a peppery, pungent flavor that is often described as sharp rather than fiery. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026 Its aim, under Chair Ben Bernanke, was to stimulate housing and corporate investment by lowering long-term rates in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008-09. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 While stimulating a fresh sense of observation, Selwyn also wanted to counter some myths about museums. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stimulate

Word History

Etymology

Latin stimulatus, past participle of stimulare, from stimulus goad; perhaps akin to Latin stilus stem, stylus — more at style

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stimulate was in 1566

Phrases Containing stimulate

Rhymes for stimulate

See All Rhymes for stimulate

Browse Nearby Words

stimulant
stimulate
stimulating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stimulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stimulate. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

stimulate

verb
stim·​u·​late ˈstim-yə-ˌlāt 
stimulated; stimulating
1
: to make active or more active : animate, arouse
stimulate industry
2
: to act on as a bodily stimulus or stimulant

Medical Definition

stimulate

transitive verb
stim·​u·​late -ˌlāt 
stimulated; stimulating
1
: to excite to activity or growth or to greater activity
2
a
: to function as a physiological stimulus to (as a nerve or muscle)
b
: to arouse or affect by a stimulant (as a drug)
stimulative
ˈstim-yə-ˌlāt-iv 
adjective
stimulatory
-lə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr- 
adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All