arousal

[ uh-rou-zuhl ]

noun

1. the act or an instance of waking up:

   Arousals occur naturally during sleep and increase with age.

2. the act of stimulating someone sexually, or the state of being sexually stimulated:

   Some yoga practices improve levels of arousal in sexually unsatisfied women.

3. the act of stirring up or the state of being stirred up; excitement: Relieving teens from stress in conversations can be a very effective way to prevent the arousal of anger.

   Be aware of your level of emotional arousal when making decisions.

   Relieving teens from stress in conversations can be a very effective way to prevent the arousal of anger.

Other Words From

• non·a·rous·al noun
• o·ver·a·rous·al noun
• re·a·rous·al noun
• sem·i·a·rous·al noun
• sub·a·rous·al noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of arousal¹

arous(e) ( def ) + -al ²( def )

Example Sentences

For $60, you can get a bottle of Goop’s “DTF” supplement, which purportedly “supports healthy sexual arousal in women,” and consists of three plant-based extracts.

From Slate

For $60, you can get a bottle of Goop’s “DTF” supplement, which purportedly “supports healthy sexual arousal in women,” and consists of three plant-based extracts.

From Slate

In the years since, researchers have come up with a number of underlying factors that might increase a baby’s risk of SIDS, including problems in the part of the brain that controls breathing, abnormal serotonin receptors, and low levels of an enzyme connected to sleep arousal.

From Los Angeles Times

One, called the locus coeruleus, is a deep brain region that activates the stress response, promoting arousal and vigilance.

From Salon

A report in the New York Post earlier this spring claimed that salmon sperm was being used as “a non-surgical treatment intended to rejuvenate the vagina and increase sexual arousal.”

From Salon

Related Words

• encouragement
• enthusiasm
• genius
• incentive
• influence
• insight
• motivation
• revelation
• vision