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
Researchers believe improving catalyst performance could help make the technology more practical for real-world applications, including portable electronics, wearable devices, and large-scale energy storage systems.
—
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
This proves to be the catalyst for mass rioting.
—Helaine Williams, Arkansas Online, 13 June 2026
Then came an unlikely catalyst.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 13 June 2026
Recent streaming data for the Wu-Tang Clan, whose Game 4 halftime performance was perhaps the catalyst for the Knicks’ incredible 29-point come-from-behind victory, was not known at press time.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catalyst
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
This proves to be the catalyst for mass rioting.
—Helaine Williams, Arkansas Online, 13 June 2026
Then came an unlikely catalyst.
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 13 June 2026
Recent streaming data for the Wu-Tang Clan, whose Game 4 halftime performance was perhaps the catalyst for the Knicks’ incredible 29-point come-from-behind victory, was not known at press time.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catalyst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catalyst
Noun
-
The nation’s collective card balance actually declined through much of 2020 and 2021, as consumers rode out the COVID-19 pandemic and cashed federal stimulus checks.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
-
Prabowo has pushed for heavier stimulus and lower interest rates.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The country's blockade has throttled traffic through the channel, driving up fuel prices and threatening the global economy.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
After weeks of overnight fuel thefts, Rocklin police arrested a suspect during an early Thursday traffic stop, the department announced.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
The water conservation district arguably lacks the tools needed to live up to the conservation part of its name assigned by state legislators.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
-
Pilots are highly trained to problem solve, and this tiny tool is a go-to travel hack for some of the most frequent flyers.—
Kristy Alpert,
Travel + Leisure,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Each arm can process information locally and trigger reflexes – like grabbing prey – without waiting for instructions from the brain.—
Omar Kardoudi
June 13,
New Atlas,
13 June 2026
-
Although more research is needed, GLP-1 drugs trigger metabolic pathways that could be important in regulating inflammation, which is known to be an inciting factor in many different cancers.—
Omer Awan,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
The cause of the fire is under investigation, the agency said.—
Faris Tanyos,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
-
The fire was brought under control but its causes were still being investigated, the operations center said.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
Digital services are also obliged to implement an age verification mechanism that goes beyond self-declaration that the user is over age 18 to protect them from accessing inappropriate or prohibited material.—
Sylvia Hui,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Digital services are also obliged to implement an age verification mechanism that goes beyond self-declaration that the user is over 18 to protect them from accessing inappropriate or prohibited material.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
The Forest Service has cited cost savings as the impetus for a reorganization that will shutter dozens of research facilities.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
And the main impetus for that arboreal death was the state’s dwindling water supply.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
For human crews, this transformation removes them from hazardous sparks and toxic fumes, shifting their roles from manual laborers to supervisors of a faster, tireless robotic workforce.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
-
General Daily Insight for June 15, 2026 Fresh sparks greet steady hearts and invite open doors.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catalyst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catalyst. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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