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Synonyms

rousing

American  
[rou-zing] / ˈraʊ zɪŋ /

adjective

  1. exciting; stirring.

    a rousing song.

  2. active or vigorous.

    a rousing campaign.

  3. brisk; lively.

    a rousing business.

  4. exceptional; extraordinary.

    a rousing lie.
rousing British  
/ ˈraʊzɪŋ /

adjective

  1. tending to rouse or excite; lively, brisk, or vigorous

    a rousing chorus
"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

  • nonrousing adjective
  • rousingly adverb
  • unrousing adjective

Etymology

Origin of rousing

First recorded in 1635–45; rouse 1 + -ing 2

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.

But Scotland were left shattered following a rousing finish from Ireland as Tommy O'Brien scored twice to spark ecstatic celebrations among the home support.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

That convention was also where Jackson forever secured his place within the party’s center with his rousing speech urging its old guard to embrace a broader multicultural spectrum, including the queer community.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026

Her mother was watching from the finish line, and Shiffrin got a rousing ovation from the crowd when she finished her run.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

Earlier Galatasaray produced a rousing performance to beat Juventus 5-2 in a pulsating contest in Turkey, with Noa Lang scoring twice for the hosts.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

The British Army and Navy sang a rousing song called “Heart of Oak”; the rebels had writ one to counter it called “The Liberty Song.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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.