as in incentive
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stimulus
Investors remain optimistic, confident fiscal stimulus, easing monetary policy and strong earnings growth will carry the bull market to a fourth year.
—
Sarah Min, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
Is the $2,000 stimulus check true?
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 31 Jan. 2026
This suggests the presence of an internal, self-evolving latent variable—independent of external stimuli—that shapes the timing structure of motivation and decision-making.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Yet this is where Ueda’s BOJ finds itself as newish Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angles to re-open the stimulus floodgates to juice the economy.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stimulus
Sarah Min, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
Is the $2,000 stimulus check true?
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 31 Jan. 2026
This suggests the presence of an internal, self-evolving latent variable—independent of external stimuli—that shapes the timing structure of motivation and decision-making.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
Yet this is where Ueda’s BOJ finds itself as newish Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi angles to re-open the stimulus floodgates to juice the economy.
—William Pesek, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stimulus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stimulus
Noun
-
This isn’t shaping up as one of those years with a McDavid-level or even Bedard-level prospect waiting with the first pick, but in a way that’s even more incentive to tank for dead last, assuring no worse than a top-three pick in a year where that still might get you the best player.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Compared someone making monetary demands, a kidnapper looking to make a statement can be more dangerous because there is less incentive to keep the person alive.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Poor weather was the impetus for the decision.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
-
What was the impetus for your first chess game?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Aleksandar Mishkov, dog trainer and owner of The Daily Tail, offers a note of encouragement to all would-be pup owners.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
9 Feb. 2026
-
He could be heard often on Saturday screaming encouragement to the middle school group during one-on-one drills.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In any case, despite the motivations behind it the mutiny in the studio turned into a party.—
Alex Suskind,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
-
While seeking a limerent object is a good case study in unconscious motivation, perhaps the best modern example of this phenomenon in practice is the cell phone.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stimulus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stimulus. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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