AROUSE Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

arouse

verb

ə-ˈrau̇z

Definition of arouse

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

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

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 Making the set attractive to the children will arouse their interest, encourage them to keep playing and push them to improve. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 Charismatic leaders arouse and synchronize followers' emotions. — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 This Catholic genealogy helped arouse British suspicions of European integration. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 The song was inspired by his boyfriend, who, when aroused, came over his head. — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for arouse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse

Verb

When to seek medical attention People who use kratom and begin breathing slowly or shallowly, or who become excessively drowsy or difficult to awaken, may be experiencing serious sedation that can interfere with breathing, Steinman said.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
During these experiences on mushrooms, Hodges came to believe that psilocybin was brought to Earth to awaken and change reality.

— Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of awaken

Verb

Back in 2018, Tarantino reportedly awoke in the middle of the night to find two burglars inside his home.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Alice gets to keep her leg, albeit with extensive scarring, and Anna does her best to forget about the sacrificial part of the pact until she is awoken one night by a noise downstairs.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of awake

Verb

Trotting out this try-hard trifecta of confusing, uninspired installments in a year that’s seen so many entertaining, thought-provoking additions to the horror genre?

— Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2026
Ayer came on board the film after reading Cameron Alexander’s script, which provoked such a strong emotional response that the director couldn’t resist taking the material on.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of provoke

Verb

Above-average rainfall in June and August, along with several cold fronts sweeping across the region, woke the seeds from a lengthy slumber to transform the landscape.

— Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026
However, the inn isn’t soundproof and probably isn’t the best choice for families with children who are still waking throughout the night.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of wake

Verb

Bremen has received more acclaim than Model for its 4-0 start, partly because of a rousing 38-19 victory in its opener against four-time reigning Class A champion Bowdon.

— Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 24 Sep. 2026
The founder of the nation’s largest United Methodist church, Hamilton received a rousing welcome from scores of people who crammed into a Topeka coffee shop to see him Tuesday.

— Jill Colvin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of rouse

Verb

Partnership is the guiding motif of the World Soundtrack Awards’ Film Music Days, where live performances will give cult films bold new scores and industry mixers encourage emerging composers and filmmakers to find their creative match.

— Ben Croll, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
The breakthrough came after Arnold Schwarzenegger encouraged Figure to melt the robots.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of encourage

Verb

The intimate spa offers a number of different treatments and beauty rituals, but the standout one is Oro di Amalfi, an exclusive massage with natural lemon oils that relaxes and stimulates the chakras.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
When a sensor detected movement in a rat’s front paw, another device was automatically activated to stimulate a hind-leg muscle, producing a contraction that mimicked part of the animal’s natural walking motion.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of stimulate

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arousals

arouse

aroused

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“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of arouse

verb

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