arouse

Although the verb arouse basically means "to wake up," it is usually not accomplished with an alarm clock. A patriotic song might arouse your love of country, and a new idea might arouse your imagination.

The word comes from an Old French word meaning "stir up, awaken," and anything that arouses your mind or heart can awaken something in you; for example, the prospect of an exciting experience may arouse your sense of adventure. Arouse can also be used with negative feelings. A sneaky look might arouse your suspicion, or rejection might arouse a sense of bitterness. However, usually, arouse carries with it a sense of excitement, of bringing something to life.

Definitions of arouse
  1. verb
    call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
    “arouse pity”
    synonyms: elicit, enkindle, evoke, fire, kindle, pique, provoke, raise
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    types:
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    strike a chord, touch a chord
    evoke a reaction, response, or emotion
    ask for, invite
    increase the likelihood of
    draw
    elicit responses, such as objections, criticism, applause, etc.
    rekindle
    arouse again
    infatuate
    arouse unreasoning love or passion in and cause to behave in an irrational way
    prick
    cause a sharp emotional pain
    fire up, heat, ignite, inflame, stir up, wake
    arouse or excite feelings and passions
    excite, shake, shake up, stimulate, stir
    stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of
    excite
    arouse or elicit a feeling
    anger
    make angry
    discomfit, discompose, disconcert, rattle, untune, upset
    cause to lose one's composure
    shame
    cause to be ashamed
    bruise, hurt, injure, offend, spite, wound
    hurt the feelings of
    overcome, overpower, overtake, overwhelm, sweep over, whelm
    overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
    interest
    excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of
    beg the question
    elicit or call to mind a question, especially one that has not yet been addressed
    stoke
    increase or intensify an emotion or response
    devastate
    overwhelm or overpower
    absorb, engage, engross, occupy
    consume all of one's attention or time
    clutch, get hold of, seize
    affect
    affront, diss, insult
    treat, mention, or speak to rudely
    ferment
    work up into agitation or excitement
    fuel
    stimulate
    excite, sex, turn on, wind up
    stimulate sexually
    affright, fright, frighten, scare
    cause fear in
    enervate, faze, unnerve, unsettle
    disturb the composure of
    dissolve
    cause to lose control emotionally
    combust
    cause to become violent or angry
    miff
    cause to be annoyed
    gall, irk
    irritate or vex
    exasperate, incense, infuriate
    make furious
    madden
    make mad
    offend, pique
    cause to feel resentment or indignation
    bemuse, bewilder, discombobulate, throw
    cause to be confused emotionally
    abash, embarrass
    cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious
    discountenance
    look with disfavor on
    anguish, hurt, pain
    cause emotional anguish or make miserable
    lacerate
    deeply hurt the feelings of; distress
    sting
    cause an emotional pain, as if by stinging
    enrage
    put into a rage; make violently angry
    thrill, tickle, vibrate
    feel sudden intense sensation or emotion
    afflict
    cause great unhappiness for; distress
    abase, chagrin, humble, humiliate, mortify
    cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
    invite, tempt
    give rise to a desire by being attractive or inviting
    kill
    overwhelm with hilarity, pleasure, or admiration
    benight
    overtake with darkness or night
    knock out
    overwhelm with admiration
    stagger
    astound or overwhelm, as with shock
    lock
    hold fast (in a certain state)
    elate, intoxicate, lift up, pick up, uplift
    fill with high spirits; fill with optimism
    animate, enliven, exalt, inspire, invigorate
    heighten or intensify
    titillate
    excite pleasurably or erotically
    aggravate, exacerbate, exasperate
    exasperate or irritate
    fascinate, grip, spellbind, transfix
    render motionless, as with a fixed stare or by arousing terror or awe
    enthuse
    cause to feel enthusiasm
    type of:
    create, make
    make or cause to be or to become
  2. verb
    summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic
    synonyms: bring up, call down, call forth, conjure, conjure up, evoke, invoke, put forward, raise, stir
    call forth, evoke, kick up, provoke
    evoke or provoke to appear or occur
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    types:
    anathemise, anathemize, bedamn, beshrew, curse, damn, imprecate, maledict
    wish harm upon; invoke evil upon
    bless
    give a benediction to
    anele, anoint, embrocate, inunct, oil
    administer an oil or ointment to ; often in a religious ceremony of blessing
    type of:
    create, make
    make or cause to be or to become
  3. verb
    cause to become awake or conscious
    synonyms: awaken, rouse, wake, wake up, waken
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    Antonyms:
    cause to sleep
    make fall asleep
    types:
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    reawaken
    awaken once again
    bring around, bring back, bring round, bring to
    return to consciousness
    call
    rouse somebody from sleep with a call
    resuscitate, revive
    cause to regain consciousness
    type of:
    alter, change, modify
    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
  4. verb
    cause to be alert and energetic
    synonyms: brace, energise, energize, perk up, stimulate
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    Antonyms:
    calm, sedate, tranquilize, tranquillise, tranquillize
    cause to be calm or quiet as by administering a sedative to
    de-energise, de-energize
    deprive of energy
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    types:
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    cathect
    inject with libidinal energy
    animate, quicken, reanimate, recreate, renovate, repair, revive, revivify, vivify
    give new life or energy to
    invigorate, reinvigorate
    impart vigor, strength, or vitality to
    animate, enliven, invigorate, liven, liven up
    make lively
    ginger up, jazz up, juice up, pep up
    make more interesting or lively
    inspirit, spirit, spirit up
    infuse with spirit
    type of:
    affect
    act physically on; have an effect upon
  5. verb
    stimulate sexually
    synonyms: excite, sex, turn on, wind up
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    types:
    tempt
    try to seduce
    type of:
    excite, shake, shake up, stimulate, stir
    stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of
  6. verb
    stop sleeping
    synonyms: awake, awaken, come alive, wake, wake up, waken
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    Antonyms:
    dope off, doze off, drift off, drop off, drowse off, fall asleep, flake out, nod off
    change from a waking to a sleeping state
    type of:
    change state, turn
    undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
  7. verb
    begin moving
    synonyms: stir
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    type of:
    move
    move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
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