stimulating

1 causing great emotional or mental stimulation enjoys the good food and stimulating conversation at his best friend's house Synonyms breathtaking, charged, electric, electrifying, exhilarating, exhilarative, galvanic, galvanizing, hair-raising, heart-stopping, inspiring, intoxicating, kicky, mind-bending, mind-blowing, mind-boggling, rip-roaring, rousing, exciting, stirring, thrillingRelated Words arresting, interesting, intriguing, provocative, tantalizing, titillating; absorbing, engrossing, gripping, riveting; moving, poignant, touching; enchanting, enthralling, fascinating, spellbinding; dynamic, energetic, high-voltage, kinetic, lively, lustyNear Antonyms boring, mind-numbing, tedious, tiresome; dreary, dull, humdrum, monotonous, uninterestingAntonyms unexciting

2 having a renewing effect on the state of the body or mind a brisk, stimulating walk on a bright, clear wintry day Synonyms bracing, cordial, invigorating, refreshing, rejuvenating, restorative, reviving, tonic, stimulative, vital, vitalizingRelated Words life-giving; conditioning, strengthening; animating, exhilarating, exhilarative, quickening, sharp; corrective, curative, curing, medicinal, rectifying, recuperative, reformative, reformatory, rehabilitative, remedial, remedying, reparative, therapeutic; beneficial, healthful, healthy, helpful, salubrious, salutary, wholesomeNear Antonyms deadening, debilitating, draining, enervating, enfeebling, exhausting, numbing, sapping, weakening, wearying; deleterious, injurious, pernicious; insalubrious, noxious, unhealthful, unhealthy, unwholesome

3 serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction an article containing a stimulating argument for raising, not lowering, the tax on gasoline Synonyms charged, edgy, exciting, inciting, instigating, instigative, piquing, provoking, provocativeRelated Words explosive, fiery, incendiary, inflammatory, triggering; inducing, inspirational, inspiring, motivating, motivational, motivative; jeering, taunting, teasing; activating, energizing, galvanizing, quickening, vitalizing; angering, enraging, maddening, upsetting; aggravating, annoying, bothersome, exasperating, galling, irksome, irritating, pesky, vexatious, vexingNear Antonyms subduingAntonyms noninflammatory