rousing
Americanadjective
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exciting; stirring.
a rousing song.
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active or vigorous.
a rousing campaign.
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brisk; lively.
a rousing business.
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exceptional; extraordinary.
a rousing lie.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rousing
Explanation
If you've ever been "roused" out of your sleep by someone, then you'll have no trouble seeing that rousing refers to anything that gets you going, up on your feet, energized. There's nothing like a rousing tournament of Twister to get you off your butt and into the game. Cheerleaders and rock stars are in the business of creating rousing spectacles. They want their audiences to get up on their feet, clap their hands, and get on the bandwagon. A good drinking song, too, is rousing, inspiring folks to clink their glasses, sway back and forth, and, well, keep drinking. Beethoven was a master of music that was thoughtful one minute and rousing the very next.
Vocabulary lists containing rousing
The Devil's Arithmetic
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100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
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"The Sporting Spirit"
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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.
The Netflix listing for Friday's event, which includes the boxers in the cast list, reads: "This film is: Rousing, Exciting."
From BBC • Nov. 15, 2024
Rousing its restless fans, the Crimson Tide rolled to start the second half, eventually retaking the lead.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2021
Rousing too, though not in a good way, is a big head shot image of Bill Clinton by the artist Chuck Close.
From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2018
Others Belmont probables are Rousing Sermon, eighth in the Derby; Optimizer, 11th in the Derby and sixth in the Preakness; Peter Pan winner Mark Valeski; and Paynter, trained by Bob Baffert.
From Seattle Times • May 20, 2012
“This rabble-rouser is part of your family. And there she is. Out there. Rousing the rabble.”
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
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.
