stimulate

verb

stim·u·late | \ ˈstim-yə-ˌlāt

stimulated; stimulating

Definition of stimulate

transitive verb

1 : to excite to activity or growth or to greater activity : animate, arouse

2a : to function as a physiological stimulus to

b : to arouse or affect by a stimulant (such as a drug)

intransitive verb

: to act as a stimulant or stimulus

Other Words from stimulate Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about stimulate

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Other Words from stimulate

stimulation \ ˌstim-yə-ˈlā-shən

\ noun

stimulative \ ˈstim-yə-ˌlā-tiv

\ adjective

stimulator \ ˈstim-yə-ˌlā-tər

\ noun

stimulatory \ ˈstim-yə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē

\ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for stimulate

provoke, excite, stimulate, pique, quicken mean to arouse as if by pricking. provoke directs attention to the response called forth. my stories usually provoke laughter excite implies a stirring up or moving profoundly. news that excited anger and frustration stimulate suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference. stimulating conversation pique suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge. that remark piqued my interest quicken implies beneficially stimulating and making active or lively. the high salary quickened her desire to have the job

Examples of stimulate in a Sentence

A raise in employee wages might stimulate production. The economy was not stimulated by the tax cuts. a hormone that stimulates the growth of muscle tissue Their discussion stimulated him to research the subject more. He was stimulated by their discussion.

Recent Examples on the Web

More important, the extent to which Beijing can stimulate its own economy remains unclear. — Andrew Peaple, WSJ, "China’s Economy Needs More Than a Valentine’s Surprise," 14 Feb. 2019 Beyond their stimulating content—several of which include the words and photos of Curbed contributors—these volumes all look stunning on a table. — Curbed Staff, Curbed, "18 enticing new books on design, cities, and more," 14 Dec. 2018 And so Anikeeva became determined to design flexible fibers that could interface with the nervous system without damaging it, transmitting signals to reconnect nerves or stimulate neurons. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "The Heroes of Science Who Are Unlocking the Brain," 3 Oct. 2018 That leaves room for someone to argue that lower tax rates would stimulate the investment and economic growth Germany needs. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Growth Debate for Germany," 21 Jan. 2019 Deisseroth was the first to discover, in 2004, how to use light to stimulate neurons in the brain. — Catherine Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, "Stanford scientist Karl Deisseroth wins Japan’s highest honor for brain research," 14 June 2018 The science seems vague, but there’s some evidence that CBD stimulates hair growth when applied to the scalp because of the omega fatty acids. — Claire Valentine, The Cut, "12 CBD Beauty Products for Celebrating 420," 20 Apr. 2018 His solution is to give every citizen $1,000 a month to stimulate the economy. — Cady Drell, Marie Claire, "Everybody Running for President in 2020," 18 Jan. 2019 Still, some analysts said the banks could be doing more to stimulate the economy. — Emily Flitter, New York Times, "Bank Earnings Climb in Growing Economy, but Lending Doesn’t Keep Pace," 13 July 2018

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