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

v call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)

“arouse pity”
Synonyms:
elicit, enkindle, evoke, fire, kindle, provoke, raise
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
to 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, 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
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
to 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

v 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
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

v cause to become awake or conscious

Synonyms:
awaken, rouse, wake, wake up, waken
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

v cause to be alert and energetic

Synonyms:
brace, energise, energize, perk up, stimulate
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

v stimulate sexually

“This movie usually arouses the male audience”
Synonyms:
excite, sex, turn on, wind up
Types:
tempt
try to seduce
Type of:
excite, shake, shake up, stimulate, stir
stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of

v stop sleeping

Synonyms:
awake, awaken, come alive, wake, wake up, waken
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

v to begin moving, "As the thunder started the sleeping children began to stir"

Synonyms:
stir
Type of:
move
move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion

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