AROUSE Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

arouse

verb

ə-ˈrau̇z

Definition of arouse

as in to awaken

to cause to stop sleeping the rooster's crow aroused me from my deep sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to awake

to cease to be asleep set the alarm so we would arouse at 5:00 a.m.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to provoke

to rouse to strong feeling or action the court's controversial decision aroused many to protest and to lobby the legislature for a constitutional amendment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of arouse Like spacious minor-key chords given a subtle major-key lift, these color combinations can arouse powerful emotions that are excruciatingly just short of fulfillment. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 Making the set attractive to the children will arouse their interest, encourage them to keep playing and push them to improve. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 Charismatic leaders arouse and synchronize followers' emotions. — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 This Catholic genealogy helped arouse British suspicions of European integration. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for arouse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse

Verb

Played with exquisite, improbably expressive steeliness by Florence Pugh, Cathy does not awaken from nowhere as a predator.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
That day in August, the woman was awakened by Ross, who was enraged by a photo she was tagged in on Instagram, according to Ross’ arrest report.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of awaken

Verb

Back in 2018, Tarantino reportedly awoke in the middle of the night to find two burglars inside his home.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Alice gets to keep her leg, albeit with extensive scarring, and Anna does her best to forget about the sacrificial part of the pact until she is awoken one night by a noise downstairs.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of awake

Verb

From this format emerges the tacit thesis that the Bicentennial cultural activities excelled at provoking critical, imaginative reflections on America’s past and future from artmakers and from ordinary citizens alike.

— Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
She never has been diagnosed with an underlying seizure disorder, such as epilepsy, and a medical test to provoke a seizure in Linton after the crash came back with no abnormal brain activity, prosecutors said.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of provoke

Verb

In the middle of the night, as the floodwaters were rising, the dog woke her by shaking water off herself, giving the family enough time to climb a ladder onto the roof of their home just minutes before it was completely flooded.

— Fabiola Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
After the young widow stepped back behind the black curtains, where scoops of mint chocolate chip in disposable bamboo bowls drifted through a room of donors and White House staffers, the evening moved from celebration to wake.

— Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of wake

Verb

Peter roused again but had grown more certain since his last utterance.

— Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
Bremen has received more acclaim than Model for its 4-0 start, partly because of a rousing 38-19 victory in its opener against four-time reigning Class A champion Bowdon.

— Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of rouse

Verb

Unlike many spas that focus on the healing effects of treatments, Kamalaya goes much deeper, encouraging guests to explore more emotional issues in a safe space.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Still, Terry Strada, whose husband, Tom Strada, was killed in the attacks, said she was encouraged that more than 100 family members of 9/11 victims turned out and by the judges’ questions.

— Tom Winter, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of encourage

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arousals

arouse

aroused

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“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of arouse

verb

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