stimulation

American  

[stim-yuh-lay-shuhn] / ˌstɪm jəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

• stimulations
  plural

1. the act of exciting a nerve, gland, etc., to its functional activity.

   The fungus is known to have diverse effects on the body, from stimulation of the nervous system to constriction of blood vessels.

2. something that arouses interest, inspiration, or incitement to action.

   Children, with their developing brains, love stimulation and novelty.

3. a cause or incitement.

   Improved rural-urban communication links often act as stimulation for the growth of local towns.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antistimulation
  noun
• hyperstimulation
  noun
• interstimulation
  noun
• nonstimulation
  noun
• overstimulation
  noun
• prestimulation
  noun
• restimulation
  noun
• self-stimulation
  noun
• superstimulation
  noun
• poststimulation
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stimulations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of stimulation

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin stimulātiō “incentive”; equivalent to stimulate ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )

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Explanation

Stimulation spurs an organism to act. It can also be any specific event that causes someone to do something. Have you ever had a teacher who made you excited about a subject you didn't like before, causing you to study harder and learn more? That teacher must've provided stimulation: through the teacher, you were motivated to give more effort to the class. Like a stimulant, stimulation causes things to happen. A doctor hitting your knee is a type of stimulation that makes your leg jerk up. In zoos, animals are provided with food-based stimulation to make them exercise.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stimulation stimulations

They also reported poorer sleep, a stronger desire for continuous stimulation, and greater difficulty resisting the urge to immediately check their phones or act on impulses.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

The studies evaluated 12 different approaches, including laser therapy, electrical stimulation, knee braces, insoles, kinesiology tape, water-based therapy, exercise, and ultrasound.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

Once they understood why they found certain situations challenging, it was easier to give themselves permission for things like rest and breaks from sensory stimulation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

"This effect was also observed in germ-free mice, suggesting that butyrate can establish a lasting intestinal environment that does not depend on continuous microbial stimulation."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

Nevertheless, and although he himself did not seem to notice it, those letters of recuperation and stimulation were slowly changing into pastoral letters of disenchantment.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

That device sends mild electrical stimulations through the vagus nerve to the brain, sparking a release of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine which help us regulate our mood.

From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2025

It turned out that both were equally as sensitive to the strong stimulations.

From Salon ● Dec. 1, 2023

These electric stimulations mimicked the mechanical stimuli of a collision.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2023

Knowing where to direct brain stimulations also does not resolve the question of what frequency to use, scientists said.

From New York Times ● Jun. 13, 2022

It is well known that for this purpose it is advisable to begin the influence with some slight fatiguing stimulations.

From Psychotherapy by Hugo Münsterberg

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Related Words

• incentive
• stimulant

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