Synonyms

stimulation

American

[stim-yuh-ley-shuhn] / ˌstɪm jəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

the act of exciting a nerve, gland, etc., to its functional activity.

The fungus is known to have diverse effects on the body, from stimulation of the nervous system to constriction of blood vessels.
something that arouses interest, inspiration, or incitement to action.

Children, with their developing brains, love stimulation and novelty.
a cause or incitement.

Improved rural-urban communication links often act as stimulation for the growth of local towns.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

stimulations

plural

Etymology

Origin of stimulation

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin stimulātiō “incentive”; equivalent to stimulate ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )

Explanation

Stimulation spurs an organism to act. It can also be any specific event that causes someone to do something. Have you ever had a teacher who made you excited about a subject you didn't like before, causing you to study harder and learn more? That teacher must've provided stimulation: through the teacher, you were motivated to give more effort to the class. Like a stimulant, stimulation causes things to happen. A doctor hitting your knee is a type of stimulation that makes your leg jerk up. In zoos, animals are provided with food-based stimulation to make them exercise.

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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.

Behavioral tests supported that conclusion, showing that obese mice were less responsive to sensory stimulation compared to lean mice.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

Five years ago, Rhi had a procedure to put a sacral nerve stimulation system in place - where the nerves controlling the bowel can be stimulated with a device implanted under the skin.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

The enlarged striatum finding remains an important clue, especially because of the striatum's role in reward, stimulation, and impulsivity.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

North America revenue fell 4% to $2.1 billion, amid lower stimulation activity on U.S. land and in the Gulf of Mexico.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

This step is separate from, and arguably more primitive than, the receiving of information; before we get information, we are getting some stimulation through an act of stimulus response.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

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