1
as in to wake
to cause to stop sleeping
the honking horns roused her from a deep sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to awake
to cease to be asleep
I finally roused around noon, after going to bed very late
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 rouse
Thankfully, there's something to that old adage about felines having nine lives because The Jellicle Ball rouses Cats from its grave.
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Written for a trashy ‘80s teen movie, this tune is rousing and bratty in classic Cheap Trick style.
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
According to Meacham and Page, Reagan finally, and only after all other major candidates had dropped out of the race, intended to give a rousing speech supporting Bush at a black-tie gala on May 11th.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Hope rouses life to continue, to expand, to grow, to reach out, to go on.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rouse
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Written for a trashy ‘80s teen movie, this tune is rousing and bratty in classic Cheap Trick style.
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
According to Meacham and Page, Reagan finally, and only after all other major candidates had dropped out of the race, intended to give a rousing speech supporting Bush at a black-tie gala on May 11th.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Hope rouses life to continue, to expand, to grow, to reach out, to go on.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rouse
Verb
-
What follows is a crescendo of bloody madness, including a gruesome toenail cutting scene that shouldn’t be viewed while eating, a grandma being eaten alive by a pack of coyotes and a truly bonkers wake that erupts into laugh-out-loud violence thanks to a pair of dentures.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Salzhauer has also alluded to Rizzi's claims on his TikTok page, posting a spoof video where one of his employees pretends to wake him up by playing one of Rizzi's viral videos.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Alvarez awoke Sunday leading the majors in slugging, OPS and home runs, a flaming core at the heart of a cooling lineup.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
-
When Gould awoke, she was thrilled to see her husband and newborn son.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And following a tradition that dates back to the Apollo program, the crew was awakened each day by a different song, picked from a list that the astronauts had selected beforehand.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The morning after giving birth, June awakens in her bed to find her baby gone; Bethel and Beauty are at the kitchen table in tears.—
Meredith Maran,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Today, fiery Mars moves to the top of your chart to stay for the next six weeks, arousing your ambition as never before.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
-
This aroused suspicion and eventually led to searches of Kamnik’s phone, computer, and external hard drive, which revealed a massive trove of illicit material.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rouse. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
