AROUSE Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

arouse

verb

ə-ˈrau̇z

Definition of arouse

as in to awaken

to cause to stop sleeping the rooster's crow aroused me from my deep sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to awake

to cease to be asleep set the alarm so we would arouse at 5:00 a.m.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to provoke

to rouse to strong feeling or action the court's controversial decision aroused many to protest and to lobby the legislature for a constitutional amendment

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 arouse The song was inspired by his boyfriend, who, when aroused, came over his head. — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026 In the hour-long special, taped the Skirball in New York City in March, Barone aims to shock, amuse, and arouse. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 June 2026 Overview The emergence of teleSUR has aroused significant interest due to its uniqueness of being the first regional television channel purely financed by more than three Latin American states. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026 There may be many spouses out there who are aroused by mother-in-law cosplay. — John Hodgman, New York Times, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for arouse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse

Verb

This case has awakened debates about infanticide laws, which provide legal defenses only to mothers who kill their infant.

— Dr. Susan Hatters Friedman, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
The co-creators had already hinted that after season 1, the subsequent installments would take the action back to 1935 and 1908, as the creature awakens from his sleep cycle every 27 years.

— Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of awaken

Verb

The boy awoke at a family cottage in northern Ontario in 2024 with a bat resting across his nose and mouth.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Newcastle yearned to win, to fulfil the dream awoken by Keegan — who died of cancer last month — and Isak was part of the team that finally did it, a languid forward with a kiss for a touch who scored at Wembley when Liverpool were beaten.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of awake

Verb

By the mid-nineteenth century, the it-narrative began to interest authors invested less in provoking excitement than in guiding the moral development of their readers.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
Ukraine’s recent strikes into Russia also have exposed weaknesses in Russia’s air defenses, which could prompt Putin to think twice about provoking a retaliatory attack.

— Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of provoke

Verb

Join the dearly beloved under the stars for a reception worthy of the afterlife, with spirited DJ sets, drinks to wake the dead, and a free photobooth for your drop-dead gorgeous wedding portrait.

— Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Ensemble sitcoms live and die by their chemistry, so the cast — encouraged by Kronengold and Shaw — spend almost every waking moment together while filming.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of wake

Verb

Every third morning Soumia Bensalah was roused before the break of dawn.

— Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2026
These two exceedingly nimble keyboardists teamed for a rousing take on Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski’s intensely spirited Variations on a Theme of Paganini.

— George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of rouse

Verb

Producer and 10 Lives founder and CEO Daniel Catullo set the stage for such a party by introducing the film and encouraging audience members to get out of their seats during the showing and record clips of the doc.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
So his church—which has raised many millions of dollars for good causes, and operates a local food pantry and food truck—decided to distribute lawn signs simply encouraging people to be kind.

— Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of encourage

Verb

Chan’s parents always treated their back pain from laborious food industry jobs with acupuncture and cupping, the practice of using cups or suction on the skin to stimulate blood flow and the flow of chi, or energy.

— Cara Kelly, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Featured in over-the-counter topical products, the vitamin A derivative is found ubiquitously in anti-aging skin-care products, selected for its ability to increase cell turnover and stimulate collagen.

— Ellie Davis, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of stimulate

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arousals

arouse

aroused

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“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of arouse

verb

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