rousing

1 of 2

adjective

rous·​ing ˈrau̇-ziŋ 

1

a

: giving rise to excitement : stirring

a rousing speech

b

: brisk, lively

… the good, old-fashioned custom of evening weddings with a rousing dance afterwards …

—Lucy Maud Montgomery

2

: exceptional, superlative

a rousing success

rousingly adverb

rousing

2 of 2

present participle of rouse entry 1

Synonyms of rousing

Adjective

• breathtaking
• exciting
• thrilling
• interesting
• inspiring
• intriguing

Examples of rousing in a Sentence

Adjective

She was met with a rousing reception.

a rousing rendition of our national anthem

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In a routing, rousing, definitive sweep of the Red Sox in the wild card, the current iteration of the Yankees looked like the best chance the team has had to win it all with Judge. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

The signal-caller earned a game ball from head coach Ben Johnson and gave a rousing, emotional speech in the locker room after the game. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026

The 21,269 fans in Kauffman Stadium gave Perez a rousing ovation, even as the Royals began the game down 1-0 after the first. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026

Segafredo Segafredo L’Originale, a rousing Italian-style cafe and bar that also opened at the dawn of the millennium on Lincoln Road, lasted 26 years, until May. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for rousing

• browsing
• housing
• rehousing
• arousing
• carousing
• espousing
• warehousing

Kids Definition

rousing

adjective

rous·​ing

ˈrau̇-ziŋ

1

: having the power to rouse one

sang a rousing hymn

a rousing speech

2

: very good : exceptional

a rousing business