Synonyms

arouse

American

[uh-rauz] / əˈraʊz /

verb (used with object)

to stir to action or strong response; excite.

to arouse a crowd;
to arouse suspicion.

Synonyms:

fire, kindle, stimulate, instigate, provoke, incite, inspire, inspirit, animate

Antonyms:

calm
to stimulate sexually.
to awaken; wake up.

The footsteps aroused the dog.

verb (used without object)

to awake or become aroused.

At dawn the farmers began to arouse.

arouse British

/ əˈraʊz /

verb

(tr) to evoke or elicit (a reaction, emotion, or response); stimulate
to awaken from sleep

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of arouse

First recorded in 1585–95; a- ³ + rouse ¹, modeled on arise

Explanation

Although the verb arouse basically means "to wake up," it is usually not accomplished with an alarm clock. A patriotic song might arouse your love of country, and a new idea might arouse your imagination. The word comes from an Old French word meaning "stir up, awaken," and anything that arouses your mind or heart can awaken something in you; for example, the prospect of an exciting experience may arouse your sense of adventure. Arouse can also be used with negative feelings. A sneaky look might arouse your suspicion, or rejection might arouse a sense of bitterness. However, usually, arouse carries with it a sense of excitement, of bringing something to life.

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Vocabulary lists containing arouse

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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.

See Examples For:

arouse arouses aroused arousing

Some lawyers who have worked on crypto-treasury deals say information leaks can not only arouse insider trading suspicions but also actually be harmful for pricing transactions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2025

“Depositing the money all at once would probably arouse less suspicion with the bank than making a continuing series of deposits just under $10,000,” says Mark Luscombe, principal analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2025

Hwang uses it to fill time and arouse suspicion, but there is little narrative heft from this plotline until the finale.

From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2024

After his release in February 2023, the director began formulating a plan to shoot “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” in a clandestine fashion, with a small crew, so as not to arouse suspicion.

From New York Times ● May 25, 2024

If he behaved naturally and did nothing to arouse suspicion, all would be well.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

So he creates drama, he attacks, arouses counter-forces, feels fear—will my luck hold?—defeats the enemy, claims triumph and relaxes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

So when a Prague landmark is slated for demolition or reconstruction, it invariably arouses strong passions.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2025

If the jury finds that Colie was responding to a provocation that reasonably arouses fear or anger, then there is no malice under the law.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 28, 2023

We had been prepared, in some preshow remarks, for “optional audience participation,” a prospect that usually arouses anxiety.

From New York Times ● Feb. 24, 2023

My voice took on the strident tone of virtuous outrage which automatically arouses suspicion.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Just like “The Pitt,” “Widow’s Bay” has aroused the kind of obsessive fandom that leads to Emmy glory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Because of the suspicions aroused by the complaints, she said, she lost a job.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

The constant training has aroused the interest of her brother, 11-year-old Logan, who is also due to compete.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

Crans-Montana, too, has aroused that same angry feeling of trust betrayed.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2026

Hoodwinked onlookers invariably asked to climb on the horse, and Smith, with hospitality that should have aroused suspicion, always agreed.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

The surreal prospect of U.S. and European allies shooting at each other on Greenland sent stock and bond markets sliding, arousing fears that European investors in U.S. government debt could back away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026

"The continuation of the trial is tearing us apart from within, arousing fierce divisions, intensifying rifts," the premier said in a video statement, referring to the split between his supporters and opponents.

From Barron's ● Nov. 30, 2025

Their only sin, as things stand, is arousing disgust.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2025

Mr Hastings said her peculiar nature meant she could say things without arousing much suspicion.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2024

Zeitoun knew their prayers were arousing interest from the guards, but he and Nasser did not pause.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023