arousal

noun

arous·​al ə-ˈrau̇-zəl 

plural arousals

1

: the act of arousing someone or something

arousal from sleep

This belated arousal of the hunting instinct seemed to make almost another man of him.

—Jack London

: the state of being aroused

His work with animals had implicated adrenaline and noradrenaline in emotional arousal and memory.

—Daniel Goleman

2

: a state of physiological and psychological excitation caused by sexual contact or other erotic stimulation

Studies show 60% of patients taking the drugs experience some form of sexual dysfunction, ranging from loss of desire to problems with arousal and an inability to reach orgasm.

—Tara Parker-Pope

Examples of arousal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The chocolates are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher, and also come in Brainstorm, to aid in energy and focus, and Happy Ending, for arousal and pleasure. —Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 6 June 2025

Indeed, available studies suggest that snoozing is associated with a stronger sense of drowsiness upon waking up, and is also tied to more sleep arousals, less sleep time, and lower sleep efficiency than uninterrupted sleep. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 19 May 2025

Social isolation keeps the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in a constant state of arousal, driving persistent cortisol release. —Kim Samuel, Scientific American, 16 May 2025

By engaging specific breathing techniques that stimulate parasympathetic activation, individuals can shift from a state of sympathetic ‘fight or flight’ arousal to a more balanced, calm physiological condition, fundamentally altering how emotional challenges are experienced and processed. —Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

arouse + -al entry 2

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing arousal

• hyper-arousal

Rhymes for arousal

• espousal
• spousal

Medical Definition

arousal

noun

arous·​al ə-ˈrau̇-zəl 

1

a

: the act of arousing

arousal from sleep

b

: the state of being aroused

specifically : responsiveness to stimuli

… cells of the locus coeruleus, a brain center involved in maintaining attention and arousal …

—Science

2

: a state of physiological and psychological excitation caused by sexual contact or other erotic stimulation

Studies show 60% of patients taking the drugs experience some form of sexual dysfunction, ranging from loss of desire to problems with arousal …

—Tara Parker-Pope, The Wall Street Journal