arouse

UK: /əˈraʊz/ US: /əˈraʊz/ ,(ə rouz′)

Inflections of 'arouse' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

arouses

v 3rd person singular

arousing

v pres p

aroused

v past

aroused

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•rouse /əˈraʊz/   v. [~ + object] , a•roused, a•rous•ing. 

1. to stir up;
   excite:
   The fiery speech aroused the crowd.
2. to stimulate sexually.
3. to wake (somebody) up:
   She aroused them at noon.

Compare rouse.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•rouse  (ə rouz′), v., a•roused, a•rous•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to stir to action or strong response; excite:
   to arouse a crowd; to arouse suspicion.
2. to stimulate sexually.
3. to awaken;
   wake up:
   The footsteps aroused the dog.

v.i. 

4. to awake or become aroused:
   At dawn the farmers began to arouse.

• a-³ + rouse¹, modeled on arise 1585–95

a•rous′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
a•rous′a•ble, adj. 
a•rous•al  (ə rou′zəl), n.  a•rous′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. . animate; inspirit, inspire; incite, provoke, instigate; stimulate, kindle, fire.

Antonyms

• 1. . calm.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

arouse / əˈraʊz/ verb

1. (transitive) to evoke or elicit (a reaction, emotion, or response); stimulate
2. to awaken from sleep

aˈrousal noun