stimulant

noun

stim·u·lant | \ ˈstim-yə-lənt

Definition of stimulant

1 : an agent (such as a drug) that produces a temporary increase of the functional activity or efficiency of an organism or any of its parts

2 : stimulus

3 : an alcoholic beverage —not used technically

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Examples of stimulant in a Sentence

The movie was a stimulant to discussion. the relaxed zoning regulations should serve as a stimulant for development in the area

Recent Examples on the Web

Watch out for this stimulant in coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, and pain relievers like Excedrin and Midol, the Cleveland Clinic notes. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "How to Go to Sleep Fast, According to Sleep Specialists," 10 June 2019 In 2015, for example, researchers found that some weight-loss supplements contained an amphetamine-like stimulant that was not on the label. — Jamie Ducharme, Time, "These Dietary Supplements Were Linked to Serious Health Problems in Young People," 6 June 2019 Kratom is made from the leaves of a tree native to southeast Asia and, when ingested, can have an effect similar to both a stimulant and an opioid. — oregonlive.com, "Oregon lawmakers spike bill to regulate kratom," 17 June 2019 Police are alleging four grams of a synthetic stimulant were found in his backpack. — Washington Post, "Russian journalist in Moscow police custody sent to hospital," 9 June 2019 Police alleged that four grams of a synthetic stimulant were found in his backpack and that other drugs were found in his apartment. — Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY, "Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov hospitalized 2 days after his arrest," 8 June 2019 For the study, healthy, young participants consumed 32 ounces of one of two types of energy drinks or a caffeine-free, stimulant-free placebo. — Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health.com, "Energy Drinks May Cause Heart Problems—Here’s How to Get a Natural Boost Instead," 4 June 2019 While this stimulant affects everyone differently, generally steer clear of it at least six hours before bed, says Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "15 Ways to Sleep Better Tonight, According to Experts," 2 May 2019 The school had labeled the boy as having attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and urged the parents to see a psychiatrist—who immediately prescribed a stimulant. — Erica Komisar, WSJ, "We’re Overmedicating Our Children," 6 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stimulant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.