as in stimulus
something that arouses action or activity
Her expulsion from the university proved to be a catalyst for needed change.
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Recent Examples of catalyst
Consequential elections like the 2026 midterms are typically catalysts for broader viewing of news programs.
—
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
After graduating from the University of Southern California in 1991, he was cast in Saved by the Bell for a three-episode arc, where his character was infamously the catalyst for Zack and Kelly’s breakup.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
Critics felt the team couldn’t survive one playoff round with the 41-year-old James as its sole offensive catalyst.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Like an enzyme that works as a catalyst to speed up a chemical reaction, collaboration ignites new ideas for conjectures.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catalyst
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
After graduating from the University of Southern California in 1991, he was cast in Saved by the Bell for a three-episode arc, where his character was infamously the catalyst for Zack and Kelly’s breakup.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
Critics felt the team couldn’t survive one playoff round with the 41-year-old James as its sole offensive catalyst.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Like an enzyme that works as a catalyst to speed up a chemical reaction, collaboration ignites new ideas for conjectures.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catalyst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catalyst
Noun
-
The upbeat growth at the start of 2026 has reduced pressure for additional stimulus, prompting economists to push back expectations for interest rate cuts.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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This time, economists say the job market and consumer spending are weaker, and there are no large government stimulus checks being issued to spur demand.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Our approach would replace the outdated fuel-tax model with an annual fee based on vehicle weight, collected by states at the point of registration.—
Andrew Stasiowski,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Money comes in and is spent at a brutal pace within a high-inflation environment marked, in particular, by rising fuel and food prices.—
CNN Staff,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That legislation, pending action from the governor, bans new data centers through November 2027 and creates a new state council to provide strategic input, facilitate planning considerations and evaluate policy tools to address data centers, Maine Morning Star reported.—
Kevin Hardy,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Apr. 2026
-
For taller products, like full-size shampoo bottles or styling tools, Kinsella suggests a tiered sliding organizer with an open top to accommodate height.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In January 2024, he was indicted again on involuntary manslaughter charges following a new investigation by a New Mexico grand jury into the incident, which allegedly found evidence that Baldwin did pull the trigger when it was discharged.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Dubón is 0-for-3 and Acuña’s quick trigger has him 2-for-6.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Initially treated as a death by natural causes, the case was later ruled a homicide after an undertaker noticed a knife wound on the back of her neck.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Politics, with all its mechanisms, its conflicts, and its institutions, exists because people—even, somehow, reasonable people—disagree.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
As the load increases—65 pounds (29 kilograms) in this case—the robot must achieve precise whole-body coordination, placing significant demands on its actuators and joint mechanisms.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And all of that had to go aside from the impetus and a few choice lines.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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And that was the impetus of Mile End Kicks.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Because the images rotate at a screen-saver pace, my advice would be to focus on the preparatory drawings and cartoons, which are like sparks thrown off some great, beautiful machine.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Tomislav Ivišić and Davis were starters and leaders in their second seasons at Illinois, while Zvonimir Ivišić joined his brother last season after a year each at Kentucky and Arkansas and provided a spark off the bench.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catalyst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catalyst. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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