1
as in to awaken
to cause to stop sleeping
the rooster's crow aroused me from my deep sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to awake
to cease to be asleep
set the alarm so we would arouse at 5:00 a.m.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the court's controversial decision aroused many to protest and to lobby the legislature for a constitutional amendment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of arouse
Cassie admitted that ecstasy made her feel euphoric and aroused, while ketamine would make her dissociative.
—
Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2025
Sidelining people who voiced those views aroused righteous wrath.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
The decision to involve the United States in espionage aroused little public opposition, both in Washington’s day and for decades to come.
—James Santel, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
Monday aroused more questions than answers from the Miami Dolphins.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2025
Sidelining people who voiced those views aroused righteous wrath.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
The decision to involve the United States in espionage aroused little public opposition, both in Washington’s day and for decades to come.
—James Santel, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
Monday aroused more questions than answers from the Miami Dolphins.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse
Verb
-
Yet there also is no guarantee that the Padres will fully awaken from their recent offensive malaise, that injured starting pitchers Michael King and Yu Darvish will return anytime soon or that, weeks from now, San Diego could justify acquiring significant reinforcements.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
-
But there is something wry and resigned lurking behind those chord changes, an insouciance to Dorian’s vocals, that suggests something deeper and bigger brewing — the sound of a fairly labyrinthine songwriting mind just starting to awaken to its potential.—
Jayson Greene,
Vulture,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
When Mendler awoke some mornings, her mom would still be tapping away at her architectural designs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2025
-
A week later, Carlos was awoken at 5 a.m. and told to pack up.—
Allison McCann,
New York Times,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Negotiating with someone who is trying to provoke you is their tactic.—
John Baldoni,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
Daily life in the villa is punctuated by games and challenges, designed to reveal secrets, provoke drama and test the strength of relationships.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
Other moms responded with similar accounts of staying up to check baby monitors, zooming in to see if their infants were breathing, or waking in panic from vivid dreams.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
-
Really just to wake him up to the notion that he’s been sleepwalking for the last 10 or 20 years.—
Rosemary Rossi,
Variety,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
In a rousing cliffhanger, Ava finds a very much alive Deborah, who has suddenly been spurred to action to fight for her next chapter.—
Rance Collins,
IndieWire,
31 May 2025
-
Passing work that fails is an even worse thing to do for the middling and poor students and teachers who might otherwise be roused to do better.—
The Editors,
National Review,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
In order to protect his brother, Gi-jun encouraged Ju-woon and Bong-san to stage a coup.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
6 June 2025
-
Trump reportedly encouraged Vance to strike a diplomatic tone publicly.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Just like weight-bearing exercises, the vibrations stimulate osteocytes, which send signals to the two other types of bone cells–osteoblasts and osteoclasts–to create new bone matter and recycle the old.—
Jia H. Jung,
Mercury News,
4 June 2025
-
The electrode stimulates the nerve, opening the airway by moving the tongue forward.1 Hypoglossal nerve stimulation surgery can effectively resolve snoring for some.—
Sukaina Hasnie,
Verywell Health,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share