stimulating
adjective
stim·u·lat·ing
ˈstim-yə-ˌlā-tiŋ 
: producing stimulation: such as
a
: enjoyably exciting or interesting
a very stimulating experience/environment
a stimulating discussion
"There is nothing more stimulating than a case where everything goes against you."—
Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
b
: acting as a stimulant : producing increased energy or alertness
When nicotine reaches the brain it mimics the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which has a stimulating effect.—Laura Mansnerus
Laura MansnerusThey gave strong narcotic or stimulating drugs indiscriminately …—John Laffin
John LaffinExamples of stimulating in a Sentence
enjoys the good food and stimulating conversation at his best friend's house
a brisk, stimulating walk on a bright, clear wintry day
an article containing a stimulating argument for raising, not lowering, the tax on gasoline
Recent Examples on the Web
Musk recently embraced the phrase with a meme of eyes reddened from the intoxicating exhaustion of situation monitoring—a recreation more stimulating, the joke goes, than any chemical substance.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2026
Chuck Reger, franchise business coach at Five Star Painting, says bright red is highly stimulating and naturally increases alertness.
—Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
American ginseng has a slightly different chemical makeup and is considered less stimulating than its Asian counterpart.
—Pubsubhub User, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Despite the name, kava tea contains no actual tea leaves and doesn’t have the stimulating effect of caffeine.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stimulating
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.
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2026
Chuck Reger, franchise business coach at Five Star Painting, says bright red is highly stimulating and naturally increases alertness.
—Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
American ginseng has a slightly different chemical makeup and is considered less stimulating than its Asian counterpart.
—Pubsubhub User, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Despite the name, kava tea contains no actual tea leaves and doesn’t have the stimulating effect of caffeine.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stimulating
Cite this Entry
“Stimulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stimulating. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
