stimulant

American  

[stim-yuh-luhnt] / ˈstɪm jə lənt /

noun

stimulants plural

1. Physiology, Medicine/Medical. something that temporarily quickens some vital process or the functional activity of some organ or part.

   Adrenalin is a stimulant for the heart.

2. any food or beverage that stimulates, especially coffee, tea, or, in its initial effect, alcoholic liquor.

3. a stimulus or incentive.

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adjective

1. Physiology, Medicine/Medical. temporarily quickening some vital process or functional activity.

2. stimulating.

stimulant British  

/ ˈstɪmjʊlənt /

noun

1. a drug or similar substance that increases physiological activity, esp of a particular organ

2. any stimulating agent or thing

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adjective

1. increasing physiological activity; stimulating

stimulant Scientific  

/ stĭm′yə-lənt /

1. An agent, especially a drug, that causes increased activity, especially of the nervous or cardiovascular systems. Caffeine is a commonly used stimulant.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonstimulant
  noun
• antistimulant
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stimulants
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stimulant

First recorded in 1720–30, stimulant is from the Latin word stimulant- (stem of stimulāns, present participle of stimulāre to goad). See stimulus, -ant

Explanation

A stimulant is a drug that speeds up your body or an event that spurs you to action. Both types of stimulant get you going. You might drink coffee in the morning for a reason: the caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, which gives you energy and helps you wake up. Other stimulants are much more harmful, such as illegal drugs like cocaine, but all stimulants speed up your system. Also, a stimulant can be anything that arouses action. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, it was a stimulant that drove America into World War II.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stimulant stimulants

Clinicians call this the “prescribing cascade”: An antidepressant causes insomnia, so a sleep aid is added; a stimulant causes irritability, so a mood stabilizer follows.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026

Current treatments for attention disorders typically increase excitatory signaling in prefrontal brain circuits using stimulant medications.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 2, 2026

Of these, about 22,000 hectares are legal -- grown to be chewed as a stimulant, brewed into a tea thought to combat altitude sickness or used in religious rituals.

From Barron's ● Nov. 21, 2025

So, Gomez sent them home with an antibiotic and an appetite stimulant.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2025

It gave me a curious satisfaction, it acted upon me like a stimulant.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

NHS figures from December last year show a 23% increase in stimulants and drugs prescribed for ADHD, compared to the previous year.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

The trial followed a series of articles in The Wall Street Journal from 2022 to 2024 that described Done’s practices, including its fast prescriptions and how some clinicians felt pressured to hand out stimulants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Rising wages and low unemployment are acting as stimulants.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026

"I've tried antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, benzos, sleeping pills and stimulants, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy... tai chi, reiki, meditation, veganism, art therapy and music therapy," the former stand-up comedian said.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

Stokes long ago called attention to an alteration in the systolic sound of the heart which he taught indicated the urgent necessity for the administration of stimulants.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

Related Words

• catalyst
• drug
• impetus
• stimulus