stimulate

[ stim-yuh-leyt ]

/ ˈstɪm yəˌleɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR stimulate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), stim·u·lat·ed, stim·u·lat·ing.

to rouse to action or effort, as by encouragement or pressure; spur on; incite: to stimulate his interest in mathematics.

Physiology, Medicine/Medical. to excite (a nerve, gland, etc.) to its functional activity.

to invigorate (a person) by a food or beverage containing a stimulant, as coffee, tea, or alcoholic liquor.

verb (used without object), stim·u·lat·ed, stim·u·lat·ing.

to act as a stimulus or stimulant.

RELATED WORDS

excited, heated, impassioned

Nearby words

stilyaga, stim, stime, stimson, stimulant, stimulate, stimulated emission, stimulating, stimulation, stimulative, stimulator

Origin of stimulate

First recorded in 1540–50, stimulate is from the Latin word stimulātus (past participle of stimulāre to goad). See stimulus, -ate¹

SYNONYMS FOR stimulate

1 arouse, activate, excite.

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Related forms

stim·u·la·ble, adjectivestim·u·la·bil·i·ty

[stim-yuh-luh-bil-i-tee] /ˌstɪm yə ləˈbɪl ɪ ti/, nounstim·u·lat·ing·ly, adverbstim·u·la·tion, noun

stim·u·la·tor, stim·u·lat·er, nounan·ti·stim·u·la·tion, nounhy·per·stim·u·la·tion, nounin·ter·stim·u·late, verb (used with object), in·ter·stim·u·lat·ed, in·ter·stim·u·lat·ing.in·ter·stim·u·la·tion, nounnon·stim·u·la·ble, adjectivenon·stim·u·lat·ing, adjectivenon·stim·u·la·tion, nouno·ver·stim·u·late, verb, o·ver·stim·u·lat·ed, o·ver·stim·u·lat·ing.o·ver·stim·u·la·tion, nounpost·stim·u·la·tion, adjectivepre·stim·u·late, verb (used with object), pre·stim·u·lat·ed, pre·stim·u·lat·ing.pre·stim·u·la·tion, nounre·stim·u·late, verb (used with object), re·stim·u·lat·ed, re·stim·u·lat·ing.re·stim·u·la·tion, nounself-stim·u·lat·ed, adjectiveself-stim·u·lat·ing, adjectiveself-stim·u·la·tion, nounsem·i·stim·u·lat·ing, adjectivesu·per·stim·u·late, verb (used with object), su·per·stim·u·lat·ed, su·per·stim·u·lat·ing.su·per·stim·u·la·tion, nounun·stim·u·la·ble, adjectiveun·stim·u·lat·ed, adjectiveun·stim·u·lat·ing, adjectiveun·stim·u·lat·ing·ly, adverb

Can be confused

activate actuate stimulate

Synonym study

1. See animate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for stimulated

At the same time, the U.K has adopted policies that have stimulated growth.
It’s Always Sunny In England|The Daily Beast|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The focus is on the revelations and how the reporting enhanced public understanding and stimulated public discussion.
Guardian and WaPo Share Pulitzer: Snowden Hails Victory for “More Accountable Democracy”|David Freedlander|April 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Melodramatic telenovelas have helped bring down the birth rate and stimulated literacy in Mexico and Brazil.
The World’s Most Subversive Soap Operas|Christopher Dickey|October 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The cheaper yen, off 22 percent against the dollar in the past 12 months, has stimulated higher exports.
Japan’s Fiscal Crossroads: Will Abenomics Mean Tougher Changes?|Daniel Gross|July 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST

And then we transcribed it and discussed it, and it stimulated my thinking and their thinking.
Donald Rumsfeld on What Went Right|John Barry|February 8, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Knowing is the act, stimulated by this foresight, of securing and averting consequences.
Creative Intelligence|John Dewey, Addison W. Moore, Harold Chapman Brown, George H. Mead, Boyd H. Bode, Henry Waldgrave, Stuart James, Hayden Tufts, Horace M. Kallen
They see how his buoyancy never flags, because it is all the while met with response, stimulated, liked.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 150, June 21st, 1916|Various
When I speak of cherishing the faculty, I do not mean that it is always to be stimulated, whether it be naturally strong or weak.
Household Education|Harriet Martineau
The opposition it had met—the very difficulty of the situation—only stimulated him to greater energy and earnestness.
The White Chief|Mayne Reid
The consumption of many articles is stimulated, and fresh life infused into new and legitimate channels of trade.
Under the Southern Cross|Maturin M. Ballou

British Dictionary definitions for stimulated

stimulate

/ (ˈstɪmjʊˌleɪt) /

verb

(tr; usually passive) to fill (a person) with ideas or enthusiasmhe was stimulated by the challenge

(tr) physiol to excite (a nerve, organ, etc) with a stimulus

to encourage (something) to start or progress furthera cut in interest rates should help stimulate economic recovery

Derived Forms

stimulable, adjectivestimulation, nounstimulative, adjective, nounstimulator or stimulater, noun

Word Origin for stimulate

C16: from Latin stimulāre; see stimulant

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

stimulate

verb (used with object), stim·u·lat·ed, stim·u·lat·ing.

verb (used without object), stim·u·lat·ed, stim·u·lat·ing.

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of stimulate

SYNONYMS FOR stimulate

Related forms

Can be confused

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for stimulated

British Dictionary definitions for stimulated

stimulate

verb

Derived Forms

Word Origin for stimulate

Medicine definitions for stimulated

stimulate

v.