AROUSE Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

arouse

verb

ə-ˈrau̇z

Definition of arouse

as in to awaken

to cause to stop sleeping the rooster's crow aroused me from my deep sleep

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to awake

to cease to be asleep set the alarm so we would arouse at 5:00 a.m.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to provoke

to rouse to strong feeling or action the court's controversial decision aroused many to protest and to lobby the legislature for a constitutional amendment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of arouse Like spacious minor-key chords given a subtle major-key lift, these color combinations can arouse powerful emotions that are excruciatingly just short of fulfillment. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 Making the set attractive to the children will arouse their interest, encourage them to keep playing and push them to improve. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 Charismatic leaders arouse and synchronize followers' emotions. — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 This Catholic genealogy helped arouse British suspicions of European integration. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for arouse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse

Verb

Nobody wrote a Time magazine cover about the awakening consciousness of the autopilot.

— Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
But this morning an air of foreboding awakened me, and my little fishing barometer was already descending past the 29 mark.

— Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of awaken

Verb

Ukrainians awoke on Wednesday to find that their military had been restricted in its use of Starshield, the American satellite service undergirding swaths of the nation’s defensive infrastructure and weaponry.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
The Pope's surgery, which the doctors said was successful, lasted about 90 minutes, after which Leo awoke normally and, following a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the hospital's 10th floor.

— Scott Detrow, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of awake

Verb

The same principle applies to debates about religion, economics and virtually any subject capable of provoking strong emotions.

— Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Fortunately, the fake tip didn’t provoke any further actions from the PPD, and was reportedly flagged as spam after being picked up by its safeguards.

— Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of provoke

Verb

The medications work by blocking certain chemical messengers in the part of the brain that regulates body temperature and manages sleep/wake cycles, according to the guidance.

— Shannon Firth, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Your body’s stress hormone peaks naturally about an hour after waking, and layering caffeine on top amplifies the spike.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of wake

Verb

The reason progestogen is recommended in women with a uterus is because estrogen can stimulate growth of the uterine lining and increase the risk of endometrial cancer.

— Shannon Firth, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
The glasses project light onto 378 pixels in the implant, which converts those light patterns into an electrical current that stimulates the retina’s bipolar cells.

— Erica Sweeney, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of stimulate

Browse Nearby Words

arousals

arouse

aroused

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Style

“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of arouse

verb

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