aroused 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in roused

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2
as in excited

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aroused

2 of 2

verb

past tense of arouse
1
as in woke
to cause to stop sleeping the rooster's crow aroused me from my deep sleep

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2
as in awoke
to cease to be asleep set the alarm so we would arouse at 5:00 a.m.

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3
as in provoked
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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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 aroused
Verb
The most arousing thing to a woman is a man who’s aroused by her. — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026 But that won’t keep them from trying, and when people’s passions are aroused, and emotions crowd out reasoned thought, anything can happen. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 21 Oct. 2026 In the doorframe was the manager, sniffing around, suspicions aroused. — Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026 His efforts, however, encountered their greatest obstacle after World War II due to the suspicions aroused by Philip’s family’s uncomfortable ties to the Nazis. — Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026 In an unexpected move, China blocked tech company Meta from acquiring artificial intelligence startup Manus in April, after the deal apparently aroused government concern about the transfer of advanced technology. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 In an unexpected move, China blocked tech giant Meta from acquiring artificial intelligence startup Manus in April after the deal apparently aroused government concern about the transfer of advanced technology. — ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026 The song was inspired by his boyfriend, who, when aroused, came over his head. — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026 As virality goes, this is not a big number, but the passion that the account has aroused dwarfs its reach. — David Kamp, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aroused
  1. awakened
  2. excited
  3. woke
  4. awoke
  5. provoked
  6. horny
  7. roused
  8. encouraged
Adjective
  • There’s a flash of light, and a wind blows over the stunned, awakened audience.
    — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Angine desperately returns to the store, again and again, to get her fix from Malaise, her face reddening from blood just below the surface, a canvas of her awakened desire.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2025
Definition of awakened
Adjective
  • Hargitay was excited to dive into such a strong storyline about the duo.
    — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Planning the River screening, the first time the work would play in New York in nearly a dozen years, Barney was excited that some of Bepler’s score would be performed by live musicians.
    — Zachary Woolfe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of excited
Verb
  • His host woke to the sight of five empty wine bottles and some form of smoking apparatus, which looked mysteriously like a homemade bong.
    — Jay Glennie, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2026
  • When Jontay Porter was ten, his father woke him up most mornings before dawn.
    — New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of woke
Verb
  • György awoke Monday morning and was surprised to find that the ship had returned to Galveston.
    — Nicole Duarte, NBC news, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The Heat awoke Tuesday as the NBA’s only 0-4 team and thoroughly bewildered about how a group that fashioned itself a contender could continue to perform so poorly.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of awoke
Verb
  • No firm plan has yet been announced, but even the prospect of this meeting has provoked widespread consternation.
    — Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Doan Ewing, director of academic advising at the all-women’s Decatur college that was founded in the late 19th century, was asking profound questions provoked by a disruptive 21st century technology.
    — Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of provoked
Adjective
  • Ahead of the movie’s release, the marketing team behind Wicker (which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this past January) has already worked audiences into a froth by presenting it as a wholly horny and weird fairy-tale fantasia.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Linda Cardellini slays an origin story (streaming on Peacock) about how the drowning of her son turned a camp cafeteria worker mad enough to kill a bunch of horny teenagers with a machete.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of horny
Verb
  • Helen, roused from sleep by the smell of coffee, went into the kitchen.
    — Ron Farina, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Peter roused again but had grown more certain since his last utterance.
    — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of roused
Verb
  • Guests are encouraged to treat the entire neighborhood as the hotel and take part in cultural experiences such as geisha performances.
    — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026
  • As rounds of atmospheric rivers get ready to drench the Sacramento region, people are encouraged to take precautionary measures.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of encouraged

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Cite this Entry

“Aroused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aroused. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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