1
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
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arouse
Spiraling costs aroused the ire of Governor Ronald Reagan, who became an outspoken opponent of Medi-Cal.
—
Time, 6 May 2025
Like the rakish characters in La Piscine, those in Last Summer are caught in a folie à plusieurs, where the idyllic, island setting seems to arouse their worst impulses.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025
Cassie admitted ecstasy made her feel euphoric and aroused, while ketamine would make her dissociative.
—Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2025
Hearing about all the times Scheana and Brock have tried anal is fun and arousing.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Time, 6 May 2025
Like the rakish characters in La Piscine, those in Last Summer are caught in a folie à plusieurs, where the idyllic, island setting seems to arouse their worst impulses.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025
Cassie admitted ecstasy made her feel euphoric and aroused, while ketamine would make her dissociative.
—Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2025
Hearing about all the times Scheana and Brock have tried anal is fun and arousing.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for arouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arouse
Verb
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Then, on June 12, she was awakened in the middle of the night and told to gather her things.—
Juwayriah Wright,
Time,
15 July 2025
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For 10-year-old Lucy Kennedy, the sense of security that enveloped the camp was punctured when she was awakened by loud crashes of thunder.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
13 July 2025
Verb
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In September 2023, the world awoke to the news that someone had deliberately felled the Sycamore Gap tree with a chainsaw.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 July 2025
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The fire department was dispatched shortly after 8 a.m. to an apartment building on Barbary Lane after a 32-year-old woman awoke to heavy black smoke, according to a news release.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Under the supervision of experts, Paul provokes sharks to attack him in multiple scenarios.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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While not classified among the FDA's nine major allergens, sulfites can trigger severe reactions in sensitive individuals and may provoke asthma attacks in up to 10 percent of people with asthma.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Verb
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There has, in recent years, been pushback against woke sermonizing in comedy, where receiving applause for expressing the right political sentiments took precedence over making people laugh, though the trend hasn’t completely died.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
18 July 2025
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Pressing that button wakes the telescope up, prompting one side of its pill-like body to rotate upwards to reveal a technological eye designed to capture the planets, stars and deep-sky objects that populate the universe.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
18 July 2025
Verb
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The tone shifted to nervousness as someone roused me from bed.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
15 July 2025
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Young campers, counselors and staff are roused from sleep and begin a desperate rush to higher ground, according to social media accounts.—
HANNAH FINGERHUT,
Chicago Tribune,
12 July 2025
Verb
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During his latter stint on the council, Spelman called on Austin police to reevaluate how officers spent their time and encouraged the city to consider alternative programs to reduce crime.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
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Community members are encouraged to see the stadium before the start of the 2025 football season.—
Katie Nixon,
The Tennessean,
25 July 2025
Verb
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But policymakers have so far avoided the mass cash handouts that the U.S. and Hong Kong gave residents to stimulate spending after the pandemic.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
23 July 2025
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The bill follows advocacy efforts by TKO, the parent company of UFC and WWE, to stimulate interest in Congress for creating more and better professional opportunities for boxers in the U.S.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arouse. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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