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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 stimuli
These materials can change shape in response to external stimuli such as heat or electricity, offering more efficient and compact actuation.
—
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Mar. 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
Silence and Darkness Induces a Meditative State Sensory deprivation, the intentional removal of external stimuli like sounds or visuals (a la sitting in a coffin), can reduce brain stimulation and cause a state of deep relaxation.
—Julia Ries Wexler, Outside, 12 Mar. 2026
Having relied only on non-visual stimuli, their mental models of the world are likely to be considerably different from those of sighted people.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Similar to the ornate bank hall, the smaller side room influenced the work, with its curved white walls and absence of visual design stimuli.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 1 Mar. 2026
The reason could be that modern environments contain more interesting stimuli or that modern gasoline no longer contains lead.
—Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Mar. 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
Silence and Darkness Induces a Meditative State Sensory deprivation, the intentional removal of external stimuli like sounds or visuals (a la sitting in a coffin), can reduce brain stimulation and cause a state of deep relaxation.
—Julia Ries Wexler, Outside, 12 Mar. 2026
Having relied only on non-visual stimuli, their mental models of the world are likely to be considerably different from those of sighted people.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Similar to the ornate bank hall, the smaller side room influenced the work, with its curved white walls and absence of visual design stimuli.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 1 Mar. 2026
The reason could be that modern environments contain more interesting stimuli or that modern gasoline no longer contains lead.
—Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stimuli
Noun
-
Some have looked to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority’s development arm for incentives.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For brands, variable changes tied to product design and material choices could create financial incentives to reduce environmental impact.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 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 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
