stimulus

noun

stim·​u·​lus ˈstim-yə-ləs How to pronounce stimulus (audio)
plural stimuli ˈstim-yə-ˌlī How to pronounce stimulus (audio) -ˌlē How to pronounce stimulus (audio)
: something that rouses or incites to activity: such as
a
c
: an agent (such as an environmental change) that directly influences the activity of a living organism or one of its parts (as by exciting a sensory organ or evoking muscular contraction or glandular secretion)

Examples of stimulus in a Sentence

The pay raise was a stimulus for production. Heat and light are physical stimuli. The dog responded to the stimulus of the ringing bell.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Chinese shares had recently rallied to a multi-year high on expectations of government stimulus and a recent inflow of foreign capital into Chinese equities. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025 Soon after her election, the yen hit a new low amid expectations of major fiscal stimulus. Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025 Surveying 453 dog owners, scientists found that canines’ responses were strongly influenced by the type of stimuli—such as animals or objects—and their watching behavior, whether following the action or remaining still. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 Part of what has led to this situation is the cheap money flowing into markets in recent years thanks to the ballooning national debt used to fuel stimulus as well as quantitative easing during the COVID pandemic. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stimulus

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stimulus was in 1684

Cite this Entry

“Stimulus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stimulus. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

stimulus

noun
stim·​u·​lus ˈstim-yə-ləs How to pronounce stimulus (audio)
plural stimuli -ˌlī How to pronounce stimulus (audio)
-ˌlē
1
: something that rouses or stirs to action : incentive
2
: something (as an environmental change) that acts to partly change bodily activity (as by exciting a sensory organ)
heat, light, and sound are common physical stimuli

Medical Definition

stimulus

noun
stim·​u·​lus ˈstim-yə-ləs How to pronounce stimulus (audio)
plural stimuli -ˌlī How to pronounce stimulus (audio) -ˌlē How to pronounce stimulus (audio)
1
2
: an agent (as an environmental change) that directly influences the activity of living protoplasm (as by exciting a sensory organ or evoking muscular contraction or glandular secretion)
a visual stimulus

More from Merriam-Webster on stimulus

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