aroused; arousing
1
: to awaken from sleep
was aroused from a deep sleep by a loud noise
2
: to stimulate to action or to bodily readiness for activity : excite
a book that has aroused debate
3
: to excite (someone) sexually : to cause sexual arousal in (someone)
… girls whose perfume scent frightened him and aroused him.—
Elizabeth Berg
Elizabeth Berg
: to awake from sleep : stir
Examples of arouse in a Sentence
The report aroused a great deal of public interest.
The husky sound of her voice could always arouse him.
Their proposal is certain to arouse the opposition.
Recent Examples on the Web
When her husband’s relationship with their enigmatic new neighbour becomes increasingly intense, Fiona’s suspicions are aroused.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 June 2024
Heavenly responds to Simone’s words before Jackie opens her mouth, igniting a petty screaming match that arouses the white neighbors (God forbid they get involved), forcing them to bring it inside.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2024
The near collapse of the global economy aroused a mix of anxiety and optimism among the CCP elite, deepening fears about their own ability to sustain growth and stay in power, while persuading them that the United States and other liberal democracies had entered a period of decline.
—Aaron L. Friedberg, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2020
More than anything, declarations about cutting prices arouse a whole lot of media buzz that budget-conscious customers will pay attention to.
—Whizy Kim, Vox, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for arouse 
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 June 2024
Heavenly responds to Simone’s words before Jackie opens her mouth, igniting a petty screaming match that arouses the white neighbors (God forbid they get involved), forcing them to bring it inside.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2024
The near collapse of the global economy aroused a mix of anxiety and optimism among the CCP elite, deepening fears about their own ability to sustain growth and stay in power, while persuading them that the United States and other liberal democracies had entered a period of decline.
—Aaron L. Friedberg, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2020
More than anything, declarations about cutting prices arouse a whole lot of media buzz that budget-conscious customers will pay attention to.
—Whizy Kim, Vox, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for arouse
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arouse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near arouse
Cite this Entry
“Arouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arouse. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
arouse
transitive verb
aroused; arousing
1
a
: to awake from sleep
b
: to rouse or stimulate to action
c
: to excite (someone) sexually : to cause sexual arousal in (someone)
2
: to give rise to
a response aroused by a stimulus
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