1
as in to awaken
to cause to stop sleeping
the rooster's crow aroused me from my deep sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arouse
And each movement aroused an urge to move in the woman lying above, as if an avalanche of imperceptible but palpable vibrations had been triggered.
—
Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
There, the tortoise became visibly aroused seeing another tortoise.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
The gobbling box will often arouse an old tom that nothing else can stir.
—Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
The harder a person tries to force sleep, the more aroused the brain becomes, the more elusive sleep becomes.
—Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
There, the tortoise became visibly aroused seeing another tortoise.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
The gobbling box will often arouse an old tom that nothing else can stir.
—Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
The harder a person tries to force sleep, the more aroused the brain becomes, the more elusive sleep becomes.
—Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse
Verb
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Perhaps our ashes will awaken to a morning, one day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
The project is designed for the purpose of perpetuating local heritage and to awaken interest and develop civic pride.—
Andrea Manes,
Oc Register,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Newlywed wife Jesni Fiji, knocked out from the tragic crash and reportedly surviving with no broken bones and just cuts and bruises, awoke Saturday morning in shock and horror over what surrounded her, including her new husband Dave Fiji's body, the groom's father told Atlanta News First (ANF).—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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However, Erickson had already awoken and confronted him with the gun to try to frighten him.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Are they designed to flatter progressive sensibilities or provoke them?—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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Civil-rights movements that challenge an oppressive status quo usually provoke a disproportionate response; in fact, the strategy of nonviolent resistance depends on it.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Avoid your phone for the first hour after waking.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
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Its Smart Wake feature is designed to wake you during a lighter stage of sleep.—
Larry Magid,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Sacramento State’s annual Rising Stars was a two-day whirlwind marathon of drills and activity that played out on several grass fields near Hornet Stadium, and it was deemed a rousing success, from the weather to the effort to the kudos.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
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Braden Montgomery hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning of his rousing major league debut to rally the Chicago White Sox past the Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Tuesday night.—
AJC Sports,
AJC.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
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While most college broadcast-journalism programs tend to encourage would-be talent to ditch their regional accents in favor of a more neutral, untraceable delivery, TV pros who came up in the bigs aren’t subject to that sort of verbal nullification.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
12 June 2026
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The event, called Fulfillment Center, was geared toward people of all ages who were encouraged to come, put their phone in a cotton bag and engage with one of the many activities centered around reading, writing, making and playing at a long, communal table.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Performance benefits often persist even in habitual users, even if the stimulating feel-good buzz fades.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
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Retinoids stimulate fibroblast cells to produce collagen, and this takes time.—
Ellie Davis,
Vogue,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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