Synonyms

titillate

American

[tit-l-eyt] / ˈtɪt lˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

titillated, titillating

to excite or arouse agreeably, often in a sexually suggestive way.

She knows how to titillate the senses and enthrall the mind of her readers with her excellent storytelling.

Synonyms:

tempt, rouse
to tickle; excite a tingling or itching sensation in, as by touching or stroking lightly.

titillate British

/ ˈtɪtɪˌleɪt /

verb

to arouse, tease, interest, or excite pleasurably and often superficially
to cause a tickling or tingling sensation in, esp by touching

"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

titillating adjective
titillatingly adverb
titillation noun
titillative adjective
untitillated adjective
untitillating adjective

Etymology

Origin of titillate

First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin tītillātus, past participle of tītillāre “to tickle”; -ate ¹

Explanation

A juicy steak may titillate your taste buds, or your friend's locked diary may titillate your curiosity. Titillate means to excite someone's imagination. Titillate comes from a Latin verb that means "tickle," and anything that titillates does seem to tickle the imagination. Sensational news headlines are deliberately written to titillate, making it hard not to pay attention to them. A display of fabulous pastries in a bakery window can titillate your appetite, while whispered rumors about your high school principal's past life as a rodeo clown may titillate your curiosity.

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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.

A good newspaper seeks scoops that illuminate reality and don’t merely titillate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

There's little doubt that his mass of executive orders on day one will feature some eye-catching actions designed to titillate his base.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2025

The prompts don’t titillate; they delight, educate and heal.

From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2023

“Harry’s House” is pleasant and mild and distinctly unadventurous, calculated to occasionally titillate but never offend.

From Washington Post • May 23, 2022

Today, when everything that I do has an urgency, I would not spend one hour in the preparation of a book which had the ambition to perhaps titillate some readers.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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