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.
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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
Convinced that being aroused during this period revived his psychic being and boosted creativity, Dalí would then sit down and start painting.
—
Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Mike Evans could return, and the Johnsons (Kameron and Tez) pack arousing upside, but Otton is likely to earn the biggest target spike.
—Brad Evans, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
For various reasons—his kids are off from school during the robbery; his getaway driver drops out; his hotheaded gunman arouses suspicion—his haphazard caper doesn’t lead to riches.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
The titillating drama explores the complexities of dominant-submissive relationships and fetishes, as Ray gets aroused by making Colin lick his boots, buy his groceries and sleep at the foot of his bed.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Mike Evans could return, and the Johnsons (Kameron and Tez) pack arousing upside, but Otton is likely to earn the biggest target spike.
—Brad Evans, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
For various reasons—his kids are off from school during the robbery; his getaway driver drops out; his hotheaded gunman arouses suspicion—his haphazard caper doesn’t lead to riches.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
The titillating drama explores the complexities of dominant-submissive relationships and fetishes, as Ray gets aroused by making Colin lick his boots, buy his groceries and sleep at the foot of his bed.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse
Verb
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The black-flame candle has officially been lit—IYK, YK—awakening the city's spirit with a theme honoring the Big Apple itself.—
Lauren Sanchez,
Vogue,
26 Oct. 2025
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After first being detained in New Jersey, Gómez was awakened in the night and flown to an ICE facility in Michigan on August 19, his cousin said.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In Hocus Pocus, Dani, her older brother Max (Omri Katz) and his crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw) have to save the children of Salem, Massachusetts after accidentally awaking the witch Sanderson sisters from their 300-year slumber.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
25 Oct. 2025
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When Fuller awakes several hours later, her head has been shaved, she’s covered in antihistamine cream, and she’s tied up in a basement.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mercury in Sagittarius provokes your mind to venture into uncharted territory.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
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His art form is chaos, and the unrestrained fear that chaos can provoke.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That internal clock controls your sleep and wake cycles, detecting light as a signal to be awake and darkness as a signal to fall asleep.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
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Set a 30, 60 or 90-minute timer so the noise doesn’t wake you up.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What everyday household item can rouse more emotions than the humble paper towel?—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
23 Oct. 2025
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By any definition, San Diego FC’s debut season has been a rousing success.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead of scrolling through Instagram—or, admittedly, hitting the snooze button a few too many times—Vig encourages you to spend that time sprucing up your space.—
Kelsey Mulvey,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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Police are encouraging anyone with knowledge of the crash to come forward with further details.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Plus, men don’t have the hormonal surges of prolactin that stimulate milk production in women.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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Bank stocks are rallying today on expectations that lower interest rates will help stimulate economic activity.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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