as in incentives
something that arouses action or activity
seeing a Broadway play for the first time was the stimulus for her career in the theater
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Recent Examples of stimuli
The project aims to produce materials that change their mechanical properties and shape in response to external light stimuli.
—
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Although attempts were made to wake her up through verbal and sternal stimuli, her difficulty breathing went unrecognized for 15 minutes.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Being in an unfamiliar place, getting poor sleep, and constant stimuli from lights and noise all contribute to delirium.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Patapoutian won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the role PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 proteins play in sensing mechanical stimuli.
—Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026
To check whether progesterone was the trigger, the researchers removed the female from the barrier tank and replaced her with conical plastic tubes coated with various chemical stimuli, sliding them into the small holes of the wall divider.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
The go-for-broke concept, which includes a high-tech heist, a high-speed truck chase and a massive explosion of Cheetos dust, shows the levels to which marketers must ascend to capture consumer attention in media venues that constantly offer new stimuli.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
Right from his beginnings with the Talking Heads, Byrne’s quizzical temperament has fueled a determination both to never resist change and to remain open to all kinds of external stimuli.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Increasingly, innovators are exploring how sound, vibration, and other physical stimuli might support natural physiological processes.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Although attempts were made to wake her up through verbal and sternal stimuli, her difficulty breathing went unrecognized for 15 minutes.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Being in an unfamiliar place, getting poor sleep, and constant stimuli from lights and noise all contribute to delirium.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Patapoutian won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the role PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 proteins play in sensing mechanical stimuli.
—Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026
To check whether progesterone was the trigger, the researchers removed the female from the barrier tank and replaced her with conical plastic tubes coated with various chemical stimuli, sliding them into the small holes of the wall divider.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
The go-for-broke concept, which includes a high-tech heist, a high-speed truck chase and a massive explosion of Cheetos dust, shows the levels to which marketers must ascend to capture consumer attention in media venues that constantly offer new stimuli.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
Right from his beginnings with the Talking Heads, Byrne’s quizzical temperament has fueled a determination both to never resist change and to remain open to all kinds of external stimuli.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Increasingly, innovators are exploring how sound, vibration, and other physical stimuli might support natural physiological processes.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stimuli
Noun
-
In response, Baltimore City officials created programs to boost affordable housing in various ways, including incentives to transform vacant homes.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Some content creators are compensated, and this also creates problematic incentives in the system.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All through the park, competitors and onlookers hit vapes and shout tips and encouragements into trees.—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside,
19 Mar. 2026
-
In October 2024 ahead of her own stay at MSG, Billie Eilish recorded encouragements to take the subways for environmental benefits.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stimuli.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stimuli. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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