Synonyms

arouse

American

[uh-rouz] / 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

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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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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.

They may arouse the ire of politicians and the public, but they also do much that is useful.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 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

Local media reports that a 40-year-old man was arrested on Sunday and an investigation opened into the possible passing of "intelligence to a foreign power in order to arouse hostilities in France".

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2024

I want to tell him that anyone with an ounce of dignity wants to keep some things to herself, but I don’t want to arouse his suspicions.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

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