stimulate

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: stim=u=late

CIDE DICTIONARY

stimulate, v. t. [L. stimulatus, p. p. of stimulare to prick or goad on, to incite, fr. stimulus a goad. See Stimulus.].

•  To excite as if with a goad; to excite, rouse, or animate, to action or more vigorous exertion by some pungent motive or by persuasion; as, to stimulate one by the hope of reward, or by the prospect of glory.  [1913 Webster]

  "To excite and stimulate us thereunto."  [1913 Webster]
•  To excite; to irritate; especially, to excite the activity of (a nerve or an irritable muscle), as by electricity.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To animate; incite; encourage; impel; urge; instigate; irritate; exasperate; incense.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stimulate, v.tr.
1 apply or act as a stimulus to.
2 animate, excite, arouse.
3 be a stimulant to.

Derivative

stimulating adj. stimulatingly adv. stimulation n. stimulative adj. stimulator n.

THESAURUS

stimulate

activate, actuate, affect the interest, animate, animating, arouse, attract, awaken, brace, brace up, bracing, bring forth, bring out, bring to light, brisk, brisken, buck up, call forth, call out, call up, cheer, chirk up, compel, concern, cultivate, deduce, derive, drag out, draw forth, draw out, dynamize, educe, electrify, elicit, encourage, energize, enliven, enlivening, evoke, excite, excite interest, exhilarate, exhilarating, exhilarative, fascinate, fillip, fire, force, fortify, foster, fresh up, freshen, freshen up, fuel, galvanize, get from, get out of, goad, hearten, impel, incite, increase, induce, inflame, infuse life into, inspire, inspiring, inspirit, interest, intoxicating, invigorate, invite, involve in, jazz up, jolt, kindle, lively, liven, make sensitive, motivate, move, move to action, nourish, obtain, pep up, perk up, pick up, pique, procure, promote, prompt, propel, provocative, provoke, quicken, quickening, reanimate, recreate, refine, refresh, refreshen, regale, reinvigorate, renew, resuscitate, revive, revivify, rouse, rousing, secure, seminal, sensibilize, sensitize, set in motion, set up, sharpen, snap up, spark, spirit up, spur, stimulating, stimulative, stir, stir up, stirring, suggestive, summon forth, summon up, tantalize, tickle, titillate, tonic, vitalize, vitalizing, vivify, wake up, waken, wangle, wangle out of, warm, whet, whip up, winkle out, worm out, worm out of, zip up

ROGET THESAURUS

stimulate

Motive

VB induce, move, draw, draw on, bring in its train, give an impulse, to, inspire, put up to, prompt, call up, attract, beckon, stimulate, spirit up, inspirit, rouse, arouse, animate, incite, foment, provoke, instigate, set on, actuate, act upon, work upon, operate upon, encourage, pat on the back, pat on the shoulder, clap on the back, clap on the shoulder, influence, weigh with, bias, sway, incline, dispose, predispose, turn the scale, inoculate, lead by the nose, have influence with, have influence over, have influence upon, exercise influence with, exercise influence over, exercise influence upon, go round, come round one, turn the head, magnetize, lobby, persuade, prevail with, prevail upon, overcome, carry, bring round to one's senses, bring to one's senses, draw over, win over, gain over, come over, talk over, procure, enlist, engage, invite, court, tempt, seduce, overpersuade, entice, allure, captivate, fascinate, bewitch, carry away, charm, conciliate, wheedle, coax, lure, inveigle, tantalize, cajole, tamper with, bribe, suborn, grease the palm, bait with a silver hook, gild the pill, make things pleasant, put a sop into the pan, throw a sop to, bait the hook, enforce, force, impel, propel, whip, lash, goad, spur, prick, urge, egg on, hound, hurry on, drag, exhort, advise, call upon, press, advocate, set an example, set the fashion, keep in countenance, be persuaded, yield to temptation, come round, concede, obey a call, follow advice, follow the bent, follow the dictates of, act on principle.

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Physical Energy

VB give energy, energize, stimulate, kindle, excite, exert, sharpen, intensify, inflame, wind up, strike home, into home, hard home, make an impression.

Pleasurableness

VB cause pleasure, produce pleasure, create pleasure, give pleasure, afford pleasure, procure pleasure, offer pleasure, present pleasure, yield pleasure, please, charm, delight, becharm, imparadise, gladden, take, captivate, fascinate, enchant, entrance, enrapture, transport, bewitch, enravish, bless, beatify, satisfy, gratify, desire, slake, satiate, quench, indulge, humor, flatter, tickle, tickle the palate, regale, refresh, enliven, treat, amuse, take one's fancy, tickle one's fancy, hit one's fancy, meet one's wishes, win the heart, gladden the heart, rejoice the heart, warm the cockles of the heart, do one's heart good, attract, allure, stimulate, interest, make things pleasant, popularize, gild the pill, sugar-coat the pill, sweeten.

Violence

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.