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

So much for the idea that deficit spending is a stimulant. — Stephen Moore, WSJ, "The Trump Boom Is No Mere ‘Sugar High’," 9 Dec. 2018 Pseudoephedrine, a nasal decongestant, is also a stimulant and is banned from competition. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte broke doping rules. It happens far more than you think.," 24 July 2018 The Food and Drug Administration has cited every major ADHD drug — stimulants like Adderall, Concerta, Focalin and Vyvanse, and nonstimulants like Intuniv and Strattera — for false and misleading advertising since 2000, some multiple times. — Julia Belluz, Vox, "Kids who start kindergarten young are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD," 17 Dec. 2018 Some stimulants can make your hands and feet feel cold due to poor circulation in the extremities, says Dr. Danoff. — Colleen Stinchcombe, Woman's Day, "Why Am I Always Cold?," 16 Oct. 2018 Unlike with opioids and stimulants, marijuana dependence tends to develop slowly: Months or years may pass before symptoms begin to affect a dependent user's life. — Christine Vestal, Anchorage Daily News, "Marijuana addiction is real, and rising," 25 June 2018 However, medications like stimulants to keep you awake during the day can help manage symptoms, along with lifestyle changes such as taking regularly scheduled naps and trying to keep a stable sleep schedule, the NINDS says. — Nina Bahadur, SELF, "What Does It Mean if You Fall Asleep Instantly Every Night?," 20 Oct. 2018 One of the stimulants, DMAA, was used in nasal decongestants in the 1940s but withdrawn from the market several decades later. — Sumathi Reddy, WSJ, "The Illegal Ingredients in Your Dietary Supplements," 22 Oct. 2018 The rise in teenagers using e-cigarettes has alarmed health officials who worry kids will get addicted to nicotine, a stimulant, and be more likely to try cigarettes. — Carla K. Johnson, The Seattle Times, "2 million US teens are vaping marijuana," 17 Sep. 2018

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.