titillate

verb

tit·​il·​late ˈti-tə-ˌlāt How to pronounce titillate (audio)
titillated; titillating

transitive verb

1
: to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation
2

intransitive verb

: to act as a stimulant to pleasurable excitement
titillation noun
titillative adjective

Examples of titillate in a Sentence

a film made to titillate the audience writing that titillates and provokes
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Wholly, the collection was titillating and fitting for Anderson’s tenth anniversary at the Spanish house. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 2 Oct. 2024 Opportunities to empathetically explore the recurring nature of trauma are often abandoned in favor of leaning into titillating taboo. Lucy Ford, TIME, 24 Sep. 2024 His shows will also include footage from his pole-dancing training that would have helped with a different titillating stunt. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 14 Sep. 2024 Fans of Emily in Paris may enjoy the frothy storylines, titillating romance or the over-the-top fashion, but the City of Light itself steals the spotlight. Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for titillate 

Word History

Etymology

Latin titillatus, past participle of titillare

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of titillate was in 1620

Dictionary Entries Near titillate

Cite this Entry

“Titillate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titillate. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

titillate

verb
tit·​il·​late ˈtit-ᵊl-ˌāt How to pronounce titillate (audio)
titillated; titillating
1
2
: to excite pleasurably
titillation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on titillate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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