stimulate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to rouse to action or effort, as by encouragement or pressure; spur on; incite.
A childhood summer learning program was the first thing to stimulate his interest in mathematics.
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Physiology, Medicine/Medical. to excite (a nerve, gland, etc.) to its functional activity.
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to invigorate (a person) by a food or beverage containing a stimulant such as coffee or tea.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr; usually passive) to fill (a person) with ideas or enthusiasm
he was stimulated by the challenge
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(tr) physiol to excite (a nerve, organ, etc) with a stimulus
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to encourage (something) to start or progress further
a cut in interest rates should help stimulate economic recovery
Synonym Usage
See animate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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unstimulatedadjective
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stimulatornoun
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nonstimulableadjective
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stimulativeadjective
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unstimulableadjective
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overstimulateverb
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interstimulateverb (used with object)
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stimulabilitynoun
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stimulableadjective
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restimulateverb (used with object)
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superstimulateverb (used with object)
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stimulaternoun
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prestimulateverb (used with object)
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stimulationnoun
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self-stimulatedadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have stimulatedperfect
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has stimulatedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been stimulatingperfect progressive
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am stimulatingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been stimulatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is stimulatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are stimulatingprogressive
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stimulatessingular 3rd person
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stimulatingparticiple
Past
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had stimulatedperfect
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had been stimulatingperfect progressive
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was stimulatingprogressive singular
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were stimulatingprogressive plural
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stimulatedsimple
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stimulatedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of stimulate
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin stimulāt(us) “goaded” (past participle of stimulāre “to goad, incite,” from stimulus stimulus ( def. ) ); see -ate 1
Explanation
If the economy is starting to stall, the president can't just sit there. He has to stimulate—turn it on, bring it to life, perk it up. You can stimulate practically anything: a person, a conversation, a mind, or even the growth of a plant. Stimulate is often used to describe a physical or sexual sensation, but don't get bogged down in that kind of thinking. Often, a government will try to stimulate economic activity by creating a stimulus package. Or, say, for example, that I'm trying to sell my new song CD. In order to stimulate interest, I need to send out a sample song to all my friends. Unless, of course, my songs are no good.
Vocabulary lists containing stimulate
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Game Changer
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Teeselink said, however, that another market dynamic is at play with AI: productivity gains could lead to lower prices, which in turn could stimulate demand and increase employment.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
When these interventions helped my inflammation but didn’t stimulate much hair growth, I saw three additional dermatologists, desperately seeking a solution for a condition I had poured thousands of dollars into treating.
From Slate • May 23, 2026
Cysteine has long been known for its antioxidant properties, but this is the first study showing that it can directly stimulate intestinal stem cell regeneration.
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
"There may be some instances where airlines will discount to stimulate some traffic flow… but over time it's inevitable that the high price of oil will be reflected in higher ticket prices."
From BBC • May 13, 2026
When within sight of the Earth on each of its orbits, it would stimulate outpourings of superstitious fervor among the Earthlings.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
