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
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
No clear catalyst One reason the surge in oil futures trading is arousing suspicion is that no market-moving announcements were slated for Monday morning, such as government economic releases or speeches from Federal Reserve officials.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arouse
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
No clear catalyst One reason the surge in oil futures trading is arousing suspicion is that no market-moving announcements were slated for Monday morning, such as government economic releases or speeches from Federal Reserve officials.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse
Verb
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Rita Vega, 35, who lives on the second floor, was awakened by the smoke detectors.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
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The restless souls contained within all forms of life begin to awaken, bringing fiery hues back to the formerly dreary expanse of winter landscapes.—
Emily Leahy,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
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When the sun rose over Baltimore on Sunday morning, the Red Sox awoke with a lingering sense of disbelief.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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Alvarez awoke Sunday leading the majors in slugging, OPS and home runs, a flaming core at the heart of a cooling lineup.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Declaration’s insurrectionist contention—that people, when unjustly provoked, have the right to dissolve their government—hung heavily in a country that had just witnessed the eleven states of the Confederacy make the same argument.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchéz, are honorary chairs and lead sponsors of the gala — which has provoked an activist group to call for a boycott of the event.—
Ivy Buck,
NPR,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Andrillon warned against trying to harness the sleeping mind in the service of the waking world.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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Throngs of motorboaters flock to Boyd Lake every summer for water skiing, wake boarding and other aquatic activities on a reservoir whose primary purpose is furnishing drinking water for Greeley and serving northern Colorado agricultural needs.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
Verb
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In her cell, surrounded by her fellow rabble-rousing women, Deborah works the room.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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According to the report, both animals roused and regained consciousness about 30 minutes after the procedure began.—
Adam Bednar,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Officials also encourage businesses to give customers a glimpse of how dim sum is made through live-streaming.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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Becerra proposes to require cities and counties to approve or deny building permits within 90 days, loosening certain regulations for infill projects and reforming construction defect laws to encourage more construction of entry-level condos.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Other options, such as red light therapy caps, are non-invasive devices that use low-level light therapy to stimulate hair follicles and increase density.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
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Rachel Barber The Fed typically lowers its benchmark rate to stimulate the economy by making borrowing costs cheaper, which can indirectly lower interest rates on auto loans, personal loans, and credit cards.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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