rouse

1 of 3

verb

roused; rousing
Synonyms of rousenext

transitive verb

1
a
: to arouse from or as if from sleep or repose : awaken
roused the campers for a hike at dawn
b
: to stir up : excite
was roused to fury
2
archaic : to cause to break from cover

intransitive verb

1
: to become aroused : awaken
rousing late on a Saturday
2
: to become stirred
… before she could rouse from this insult …Grace Kinnicutt
rousement noun
rouser noun

rouse

2 of 3

noun (1)

: an act or instance of rousing
especially : an excited stir

rouse

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
archaic : carousal
2
obsolete : drink, toast

Examples of rouse in a Sentence

Verb I've been unable to rouse her. I was so tired I could barely rouse myself to prepare dinner. These animals are dangerous when roused. She was roused to anger by their indifference.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
The 2½-hour ceremony opened with a whimsical tribute to Italian lyric opera, with the stage director rousing not only the closing ceremony cast, including Achille Lauro, but also long-dormant opera characters tucked away in crates within the amphitheater's tunnels. ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026 But a) that game on Wednesday against Arsenal may have taken a lot out of Edwards’ team, and b) surely Palace have to rouse themselves sooner rather than later. Oliver Kay, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026 What roused them from complacency to defiance? Joshua Hammer, The New York Review of Books, 19 Feb. 2026 Opposition parties failed to muster the level of organization and intensity that could rouse the public into pressuring the government. Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rouse

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to shake the feathers

Noun (2)

alteration (from misdivision of to drink carouse) of carouse

First Known Use

Verb

1531, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun (1)

1764, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1593, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of rouse was in 1531

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rouse. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

rouse

verb
ˈrau̇z
roused; rousing
1
2
: to make or become active : stir up

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