stimulating
Americanadjective
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causing interest, inspiration, or incitement to action.
We offer a stimulating work environment with lots of opportunity for growth.
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inciting; acting as a cause.
Rapid technological change is described by some authors as a stimulating factor in the decline of traditional ways of growing food.
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having the property of exciting a nerve, gland, etc., to its functional activity.
This plant tincture has a stimulating effect on the liver, spleen, and digestive system.
adjective
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inspiring new ideas or enthusiasm
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(of a physical activity) making one feel refreshed and energetic
Other Word Forms
- nonstimulating adjective
- self-stimulating adjective
- semistimulating adjective
- stimulatingly adverb
- unstimulating adjective
- unstimulatingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of stimulating
First recorded in 1640–50; stimulate ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Something that is stimulating is exciting or interesting. If your teacher wants the whole class to dress up like pandas because it'll be more fun to learn about the adorable creatures that way, you have a stimulating teacher and a stimulating lesson. Stimulating things may activate the mind, the body, and the emotions in a positive way. They can make you feel more alert, engaged, or enthusiastic. Working to solve a challenging puzzle, participating in a lively discussion, or watching an informative documentary may all be stimulating activities. If seeing a close friend makes you feel happy and excited, it's a stimulating experience.
Vocabulary lists containing stimulating
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.
Dogs resting by a field could be relaxing for one dog, she says, but another dog may prefer videos to be more stimulating, such as dogs chasing each other in a park.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Xie said the massage is based on traditional Chinese medicine, focusing on stimulating acupressure points around the eyes.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
The climb in energy prices is eroding a key pillar of support for U.S. shares—bets that the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates more this year, lowering corporate borrowing costs and stimulating the economy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
It would be “interesting to attempt to make an intellectually stimulating game where women outperform men,” Rubin wrote in 2016.
From Salon • Feb. 24, 2026
In Chapter 12 we saw that cultural diffusion can involve either detailed “blueprints” or just vague ideas stimulating a reinvention of details.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
