1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

stimulant 1 of 2

noun

ˈstim-yə-lənt How to pronounce stimulant (audio)
Definition of stimulantnext
1
as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity the relaxed zoning regulations should serve as a stimulant for development in the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alcohol
a distilled beverage that can make a person drunk I always take a bottle of stimulant along on trips, for emergencies like plane crashes or earthquakes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stimulant

2 of 2

adjective

as in stimulating

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 stimulant
Noun
The tablets, which are a blend of the stimulant with caffeine and other adulterants, are particularly common in South and Southeast Asia. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 18 Aug. 2026 Cases where a patient is malnourished are challenging, because research has shown putting in a feeding tube or giving them appetite stimulants doesn’t improve their outcomes, Lee said. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 9 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Black market Yaba is a street name for pills containing methamphetamine, a powerful, highly addictive stimulant. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 18 Aug. 2026 For example, responses to ADHD may include offering stimulant medications to help with focus and also removing distractions. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stimulant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stimulant
  1. incentive
  2. alcohol
  3. stimulating
  4. stimulus
  5. liquor
  6. energizing
  7. impetus
  8. drink
Noun
  • Through the partnership, Oceanfront will produce and finance productions while Allegro provides financing solutions for potential production collateral (like tax incentives, rebates and pre-sales).
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • On Tuesday night, leaders in the Colorado city approved a 30-year tax incentive to bring the major sporting goods retailer to the community.
    — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of incentive
Noun
  • Her husband, on the other hand, kept things a little more simple, wearing a green plaid shirt by Ami Paris with blue jeans and a baseball cap sporting the name of his alcohol-free beer brand, Bero.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026
  • No bulky bottles, no leaky pumps – Hand Pop's press-to-activate wipes unfold to a generous 10 inches wide for a larger cleaning surface, delivering an alcohol-free, skin-friendly cleanse that fits in a gym bag, purse, pocket or luggage.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of alcohol
Adjective
  • Give highly stimulating content a place earlier in the evening.
    — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • This is the time to do the intellectually stimulating things.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulating
Noun
  • Analysts, however, expect that Beijing is unlikely to ramp up stimulus meaningfully as long as export growth remains strong enough to power the economy to land within the target range.
    — Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • China reported downbeat consumption and investment figures, bolstering economists’ calls for fiscal stimulus to drive growth in the world’s second-biggest economy.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of stimulus
Noun
  • This is a place where adults make the pilgrimage to the legendary Pinto Ron and Pizza Pete tailgate spot in the Hammer Lot where Pinto Ron's team of merry pranksters pour shots of liquor into a bowling ball finger hole.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Simons argued in the motion that a Snapchat photo that allegedly showed Sadowski holding two shooter bottles of liquor in his vehicle was improperly submitted and led to prejudicial evidence.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of liquor
Adjective
  • Really, the most energizing part of the movie is its surprise subject matter.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
  • For example, lavender is said to have a calming effect, while citrus scents will seem more energizing and lively.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
Definition of energizing
Noun
  • The original impetus for quantum cosmology is to do with the fact that the Big Bang model is based on quantum matter, but classical gravity.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The Lighthouse’s headquarters hadn’t been upgraded since the 1980s, Allen said, so the collapse provided the impetus to bring the facility into the 21st century.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of impetus
Noun
  • Keep in mind that probiotics can vary between drinks, so check the label.
    — Merve Ceylan, HEALTH, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The Spritz, like most Aperol drinks, lean heavily into its summery qualities and try to hide the bitterness under the rug.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of drink

Browse Nearby Words

stimes
stimulant
stimulants
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stimulant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stimulant. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on stimulant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stimulant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of elegiac

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All