titillate

verb

tit·​il·​late ˈti-tə-ˌlāt How to pronounce titillate (audio)
titillated; titillating
Synonyms of titillatenext

transitive verb

1
: to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation
2

intransitive verb

: to act as a stimulant to pleasurable excitement
titillation noun
titillative adjective

Examples of titillate in a Sentence

a film made to titillate the audience writing that titillates and provokes
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 main sources are these court documents and also some newspaper articles about them, because these were kind of titillating stories to write about. Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 10 June 2026 After nearly half a century of titillating pop culture to the brink of its understanding, the most shocking thing Madonna can do, at this point, is be honest about all of this. Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026 Lawrence did not write those scenes to titillate, though. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 At the time, there were no algorithms designed to feed you content meant to titillate, provoke or keep your attention. Larry Magid, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for titillate

Word History

Etymology

Latin titillatus, past participle of titillare

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of titillate was in 1620

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Titillate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titillate. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

titillate

verb
tit·​il·​late ˈtit-ᵊl-ˌāt How to pronounce titillate (audio)
titillated; titillating
1
2
: to excite pleasurably
titillation noun

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