Definition and Pronunciation
Arouse (pronounced: /əˈraʊz/) is a verb that means to awaken, stimulate, or provoke a feeling, emotion, or reaction. It is often used for strong emotions like anger, curiosity, or sexual desire.
Easy Explanation
To “arouse” someone means to wake up their feelings—whether it’s interest, excitement, anger, or sexual passion. For example: The speech aroused the crowd (made them excited), or The scene aroused him (sexual).
Grammatical Formation
- Base form: arouse
- Past tense: aroused
- Continuous: arousing
- Related forms: arousal (noun), arousing (adjective)
Word Comparisons
- Arouse vs. excite: both mean to stir emotions, but “arouse” is often more formal and commonly linked to sexuality.
- Arouse vs. awaken: “awaken” suggests literal or metaphorical waking; “arouse” is stronger and more stimulating.
- Arouse vs. provoke: “provoke” often implies negative emotions (anger); “arouse” can be positive, neutral, or sexual.
Meaning with Prepositions
- Arouse in: The movie aroused fear in the audience.
- Arouse from: The sound aroused her from sleep.
- Arouse by: He was aroused by her touch.
Real-Life Examples
- The teacher’s story aroused the students’ curiosity.
- The speech aroused national pride.
- The scandal aroused anger among the citizens.
- She was aroused by the romantic music.
Synonyms
stimulate, awaken, provoke, excite, ignite, kindle, stir, trigger, inflame
Antonyms
calm, soothe, lull, relax, pacify, suppress, quiet
Related Terms
- Arousal – the state of being stimulated or awakened, often sexual.
- Sexual arousal – physical and emotional response of desire.
- Self-arousal – stimulating oneself, often referring to masturbation.
- Emotionally aroused – stirred by strong feelings, not necessarily sexual.
Common Collocations
- arouse curiosity
- arouse suspicion
- arouse anger
- arouse interest
- sexually arouse
Idiomatic and Figurative Usage
- Arouse passions: to stir strong emotions, often in politics or love.
- Arouse suspicion: to make others doubtful or suspicious.
- Arouse the senses: to strongly stimulate physical or emotional response.
Sample Sentences
- The novel aroused her imagination.
- The president’s speech aroused hope among the people.
- The erotic film aroused him sexually.
- Her beauty aroused admiration everywhere she went.
Connection to Sexuality
Yes, “arouse” is strongly linked to sexuality. It commonly refers to sexual stimulation—physical or emotional. In both medical and everyday usage, “arousal” describes the body’s and mind’s response to sexual desire, often involving excitement, attraction, or physical changes.
Sexopedia.co is an educational glossary of sexual and gender-related terms—helping you improve your English while deepening your understanding of identity, language, and self-expression.