stimulus
noun
stim·u·lus
ˈstim-yə-ləs 
plural stimuli
ˈstim-yə-ˌlī
-ˌlē
: 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)
Synonyms
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
The national debt grew by $3.1 trillion in 2020 thanks to a host of COVID-19 stimulus programs and has been creeping back toward that number in the years since.
—
Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 July 2024
For example, the American Rescue Plan — the $1.9 trillion stimulus package Biden signed in March 2021— offered $1,400 stimulus checks, enhanced unemployment benefits and a larger child tax credit to households, in addition to other relief.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 11 July 2024
The artists praised Trump for issuing presidential pardons to rappers and for signing stimulus checks distributed during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 2 July 2024
The new administration began crafting the American Rescue Plan before the ink had even dried on a $900 billion stimulus law signed by former President Donald Trump weeks earlier.
—Brian Riedl, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for stimulus 
Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 July 2024
For example, the American Rescue Plan — the $1.9 trillion stimulus package Biden signed in March 2021— offered $1,400 stimulus checks, enhanced unemployment benefits and a larger child tax credit to households, in addition to other relief.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 11 July 2024
The artists praised Trump for issuing presidential pardons to rappers and for signing stimulus checks distributed during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 2 July 2024
The new administration began crafting the American Rescue Plan before the ink had even dried on a $900 billion stimulus law signed by former President Donald Trump weeks earlier.
—Brian Riedl, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for stimulus
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stimulus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Stimulus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stimulus. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stimulus
noun
stim·u·lus
ˈstim-yə-ləs
plural stimuli
-ˌlī
-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
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
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