stimulus

noun

stim·​u·​lus ˈstim-yə-ləs 

plural stimuli ˈstim-yə-ˌlī  -ˌlē 

: something that rouses or incites to activity: such as

a

: incentive

b

: stimulant sense 1

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 of stimulus

• incentive
• impetus
• encouragement
• motivation

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

Prabowo has pushed for heavier stimulus and lower interest rates. —William Pesek, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

Sometimes, the nostalgic names come to you in a massive rush, sparked by some sort of visual stimuli, and this Bolton Wanderers shir… sorry, this Panama shirt has done just that. —Nick Miller, New York Times, 10 June 2026

Lower body weight means less mechanical load on the skeleton — reducing the stimulus for bones to stay strong, Kennel explained. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026

Muscular strength and power, endurance, and aerobic fitness naturally diminish over time unless the body is provided with the appropriate stimulus to continue to adapt and combat these changes, Malek said. —Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stimulus

• limulus

Kids 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 

plural stimuli -ˌlī  -ˌlē 

1

: stimulant sense 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