1
as in to awaken
to cause to stop sleeping
the rooster's crow aroused me from my deep sleep
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to awake
to cease to be asleep
set the alarm so we would arouse at 5:00 a.m.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arouse
This was music meant to arouse wonder and yearning.
—
Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2025
There were clumps of diseased needles and black limbs killed by lightning long ago, but nothing else to arouse any interest.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
The latter proved particularly tricky because the office had to remove and read the messages without arousing suspicion.
—Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Feb. 2025
Life’s inevitable uncertainties instantly arouse your sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight or stress response).
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2025
There were clumps of diseased needles and black limbs killed by lightning long ago, but nothing else to arouse any interest.
—Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
The latter proved particularly tricky because the office had to remove and read the messages without arousing suspicion.
—Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Feb. 2025
Life’s inevitable uncertainties instantly arouse your sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight or stress response).
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse
Verb
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Formulated with energizing aromatherapeutic oils like ruby red grapefruit, cardamom, and verbena, this body mist spray awakens the senses while hydrating skin with sodium hyaluronate and glycerin.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
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Then, a sudden twist propels the narrative into a surreal exploration of time, as Lazzaro awakens years later, unchanged, and ventures into a modern world where the injustices of the past persist in new forms.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Only six major-league offenses awoke Wednesday with fewer.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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On April 21, the world awoke to news that Pope Francis had died.—
Marco della Cava,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Trump’s comments have provoked a strong reaction, including boycotts on U.S. goods and protests.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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These tales were layered, open to interpretation, and meant to provoke reflection and herein lies their enduring power.—
Sonya Rehman,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Life is mostly repetitive—wake, eat, work, sleep, repeat—and each day can feel like an unsatisfying circle.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2025
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Sleep paralysis is the phenomenon of being unable to move upon waking from sleep.—
Sanja Jelic,
Verywell Health,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps the defining factor in a rousing year was the Dutchman’s ability to leave his ego at the door.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Without the Jedi saving the day at the last minute or John Williams' rousing musical themes adding classical wonder to the action, the clashes between the Republic and the CIS — especially those happening away from the frontlines — suddenly felt heavier and more dangerous.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The goal of the tax subsidies was to encourage more Americans to save for retirement.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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To Thomas, the phrase is meant to encourage people to not give up on democracy.—
Harriet Blair Rowan,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The importance of daylight The infrared light found in daylight can modulate inflammation, stimulate collagen production, prevent neurodegeneration, and even optimize mitochondria, which produce energy inside our cells.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
18 Apr. 2025
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Greece started its golden visa program in 2013 to stabilize housing prices and stimulate growth in a country facing a recession, skyrocketing unemployment, and austerity measures imposed by international lenders.—
Meehika Barua,
HubSpot,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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