stimulate

[ stim-yuh-leyt ]

verb (used with object)

, stim·u·lat·ed, stim·u·lat·ing.

1. to rouse to action or effort, as by encouragement or pressure; spur on; incite:

   A childhood summer learning program was the first thing to stimulate his interest in mathematics.

   Synonyms: excite, activate, arouse

2. Physiology, Medicine/Medical. to excite (a nerve, gland, etc.) to its functional activity.
3. to invigorate (a person) by a food or beverage containing a stimulant such as coffee or tea.

verb (used without object)

, stim·u·lat·ed, stim·u·lat·ing.

1. to act as a stimulus or stimulant.

stimulate

/ ˈstɪmjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. tr; usually passive to fill (a person) with ideas or enthusiasm

   he was stimulated by the challenge

2. tr physiol to excite (a nerve, organ, etc) with a stimulus
3. to encourage (something) to start or progress further

   a cut in interest rates should help stimulate economic recovery

Derived Forms

• ˌstimuˈlation, noun
• ˈstimulable, adjective
• ˈstimuˌlator, noun
• ˈstimulative, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• stim·u·la·ble adjective
• stim·u·la·bil·i·ty [stim-y, uh, -l, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
• stim·u·la·tion [stim-y, uh, -, ley, -sh, uh, n], noun
• stim·u·la·tor stim·u·lat·er noun
• in·ter·stim·u·late verb (used with object) interstimulated interstimulating
• non·stim·u·la·ble adjective
• o·ver·stim·u·late verb overstimulated overstimulating
• pre·stim·u·late verb (used with object) prestimulated prestimulating
• re·stim·u·late verb (used with object) restimulated restimulating
• self-stim·u·lat·ed adjective
• su·per·stim·u·late verb (used with object) superstimulated superstimulating
• un·stim·u·la·ble adjective
• un·stim·u·lat·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stimulate¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin stimulāt(us) “goaded” (past participle of stimulāre “to goad, incite,” from stimulus stimulus ( def ) ); -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of stimulate¹

C16: from Latin stimulāre; see stimulant

Synonym Study

See animate.

Example Sentences

“When we’re really emotionally stimulated, it makes it so much more challenging to have civil conversation. For politicians, I think that’s powerful, because emotions can be very easily manipulated.”

From Los Angeles Times

The T-vant adjuvant is derived from bacterial outer membrane vesicles, tiny particles that naturally stimulate the immune system.

From Science Daily

In this proof-of-concept study, which was published in Immunotherapy Advances,the research team introduced fragments, called peptides, that stimulate the T cells engineered to fight Hepatitis B virus-related liver cancer present in the treated patients.

From Science Daily

The Fed eventually wants to get to a point where interest rates are neither stimulating nor restricting the economy, as they are now.

From Los Angeles Times

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said Trump's first term had stimulated Europe to spend more on defence, but "we need to do more".

From BBC

Related Words

• arouse
• encourage
• inspire
• prompt
• quicken
• spark
• spur
• trigger
• vitalize