CATALYST Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

catalyst

noun

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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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of catalyst And in Colorado, a retiree’s nightmare became a catalyst for change. —

Holly Yan, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026 Before Hicks burst onto the scene this year as the University of Denver’s catalyst to a seventh Frozen Four in the last 10 NCAA tournaments, Hicks was the goalie for the Brooks Bandits of the British Columbia Hockey League. —

Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026 Jason Rediger, who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, pointed to Reilly being Andrew’s catalyst Friday. —

Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 Hersheypark reversed course in 1976, and this time McKinney was the catalyst. —

John Haddad, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catalyst

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catalyst

Noun

To check whether progesterone was the trigger, the researchers removed the female from the barrier tank and replaced her with conical plastic tubes coated with various chemical stimuli, sliding them into the small holes of the wall divider.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
In general, weight loss means less load on your bones, which reduces the stimulus to create new bone cells.

— Erica Sloan, SELF, 31 Mar. 2026