1
as in exciting
causing great emotional or mental stimulation
enjoys the good food and stimulating conversation at his best friend's house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refreshing
having a renewing effect on the state of the body or mind
a brisk, stimulating walk on a bright, clear wintry day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
an article containing a stimulating argument for raising, not lowering, the tax on gasoline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in arousing
to give life, vigor, or spirit to
research into alternative energy sources has been stimulated by this funding increase
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in provoking
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the government crackdown has only stimulated the citizenry to more acts of violence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stimulating
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2026
Chuck Reger, franchise business coach at Five Star Painting, says bright red is highly stimulating and naturally increases alertness.
—Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Microcurrent Devices These work by stimulating facial muscles and improving circulation, creating a temporary lifting effect.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stimulating
Adjective
Musk recently embraced the phrase with a meme of eyes reddened from the intoxicating exhaustion of situation monitoring—a recreation more stimulating, the joke goes, than any chemical substance.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2026
Chuck Reger, franchise business coach at Five Star Painting, says bright red is highly stimulating and naturally increases alertness.
—Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
Proper mowing practices promote lush, dense turf by stimulating shoot and root growth.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Microcurrent Devices These work by stimulating facial muscles and improving circulation, creating a temporary lifting effect.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stimulating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stimulating
Adjective
-
Each meal needs to be exciting, easy, healthy, and affordable.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
21 Apr. 2026
-
This element of permanence is exciting to Stark, who has created looks for Beyoncé and has her own, body-positive line of lingerie called Panty.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Nobody minded — in an era of chatty rock stars, there was something refreshing about that.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Yet, at no point are you hit over the head with any of this, and that feels refreshing.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Beyond the series’ provocative premise, its most resonant moments belong to Harbour.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
-
There was already this sort of more classical literary style and these more ornate sentences that are doing three different things at once, and some of the playfulness and the provocative and the prurient and the spiritual kind of call to care for the least of the people.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
23 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
-
No clear catalyst One reason the surge in oil futures trading is arousing suspicion is that no market-moving announcements were slated for Monday morning, such as government economic releases or speeches from Federal Reserve officials.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
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The company’s failure to repay billions of dollars of wealth management products unleashed frustration among the lower and middle classes, many of whom had investments wiped out, provoking protests and threatening social stability.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The $10 per-vehicle day-use fee grants access to its breathtaking vistas, amazing hiking trails, and more.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Boston has learned how to turn petri dishes into IPOs with breathtaking speed.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
At a charged political moment, her relatively sober look seemed intended to keep the focus on POTUS.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
12 Dec. 2025
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What Happens Next Greene is likely to continue stoking controversy by breaking with her party, as conversations around immigration remain charged and divisive.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For a truly energizing experience, the signature Water Ritual incorporates a dry sauna, cold deluge shower and wet steam with an invigorating scrub, culminating with dips in the hot and cold plunge pools.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
23 Apr. 2026
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For many people, light movement, such as stretching or easy exercise, can be more energizing than lying down.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stimulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stimulating. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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