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
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 stimulating
Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
This stimulating and picturesque biographical graphic novel captures the extraordinary life of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician who put the Afrobeat genre of music at the forefront as an international voice of resistance.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
Marci Robin, Allure, 24 Oct. 2025
If the continent’s two largest economies demonstrated a strong commitment to regional integration and trade, investors would be more inclined to take advantage of the accord and commit to production in the region, stimulating further cooperation across the free trade area.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stimulating
Adjective
This crucial enzyme transforms glutamate (a stimulating neurotransmitter) into GABA (a calming one).
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
This stimulating and picturesque biographical graphic novel captures the extraordinary life of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician who put the Afrobeat genre of music at the forefront as an international voice of resistance.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
The treatment has been shown to improve skin texture and tone by stimulating cell repair and boosting collagen.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 24 Oct. 2025
If the continent’s two largest economies demonstrated a strong commitment to regional integration and trade, investors would be more inclined to take advantage of the accord and commit to production in the region, stimulating further cooperation across the free trade area.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stimulating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stimulating
Adjective
-
Shirley Valentine serves as an escape for those who envision a life more exciting, a fact to which Collins attributed its success.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Surveying the broader landscape of AI benchmarks, Mahdi said researchers and developers have many exciting avenues to explore.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
While both flavors share the same SPF actives and nourishing base, the Mint version delivers a refreshing, tingly finish from peppermint oil and menthol, while the Açai option leans sweeter with antioxidant-rich fruit extracts.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Born in the California beach enclave of Montecito, the Napoleon comes by its refreshing summer vibes honestly, even if it is made with a seemingly unsummery spirit.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
One of the official accounts, @GovPressOffice, has seen nearly 1 billion impressions on X since those first provocative posts in June, per Newsom's campaign.—
Brittany Shepherd,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
-
But Bugonia’s provocative premise doesn’t yield a sci-fi thriller.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Mike Evans could return, and the Johnsons (Kameron and Tez) pack arousing upside, but Otton is likely to earn the biggest target spike.—
Brad Evans,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
But then Swift reveals the full conceit of the song, which is how flattering and even arousing it is to hear about someone thinking about you constantly (even if for negative reasons).—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At best, all of his perhapses and could have beens will lead to unexpected, thought-provoking conclusions.—
Isaac Butler,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
-
This is an installment of The Nightcrawler, a weekly collection of thought-provoking articles on tech, innovation, and long-term investing by Eric Markowitz of Nightview Capital.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That prevented a walk-off fielder’s choice and set the stage for the equally breathtaking play that ensued.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Given how much of the story takes place in a confined setting, when one character launches themselves across a table to attack another, the moment is breathtaking.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
For context, geomagnetic storms are caused by fiery eruptions from the sun's surface that send charged particles zipping toward our planet.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
Mamdani, a 34-year-old state lawmaker, already defeated Cuomo once in the Democratic primary, energizing progressives to score a surprise victory over the once-powerful former governor with a campaign that focused on lowering the cost of living in one of the country’s most expensive cities.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The standard answer was that Mamdani won the Democratic primary by energizing young voters, leaving Democrats with no option but to endorse their party’s nominee.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stimulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stimulating. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share