stimulus

noun

stim·​u·​lus ˈstim-yə-ləs 

plural stimuli ˈstim-yə-ˌlī  -ˌlē 

: something that rouses or incites to activity: such as

a

: incentive

b

: stimulant sense 1

c

: an agent (such as an environmental change) that directly influences the activity of a living organism or one of its parts (as by exciting a sensory organ or evoking muscular contraction or glandular secretion)

Synonyms

• boost
• encouragement
• goad
• impetus
• impulse
• incentive
• incitation
• incitement
• instigation
• momentum
• motivation
• provocation
• spur
• stimulant
• yeast

Examples of stimulus in a Sentence

The pay raise was a stimulus for production.

Heat and light are physical stimuli.

The dog responded to the stimulus of the ringing bell.

Recent Examples on the Web

Deal-making activity in China ramps up Merger and acquisition deals in China are starting to rebound as Beijing’s stimulus measures start to bear fruit, while pressure from Donald Trump’s tariffs is also driving industry consolidation. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025

The other half, to set up a community advisory panel to help operate the monitors and publish the results, is coming from the federal government’s COVID-19 stimulus spending. —John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025

Johnston said the city was pursuing a new bond program so soon after the one approved in 2021 because that one was a COVID-era stimulus investment. —Elliott Wenzler, The Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2025

The consumption slump, worsened by weak consumer and business confidence and the near collapse of the property sector, has prompted Beijing to loosen its monetary policy and pursue various forms of stimulus, including pay increases in for civil servants and tax incentives for property purchases. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

stimulus

noun

stim·​u·​lus ˈstim-yə-ləs 

plural stimuli -ˌlī 

-ˌlē

1

: something that rouses or stirs to action : incentive

2

: something (as an environmental change) that acts to partly change bodily activity (as by exciting a sensory organ)

heat, light, and sound are common physical stimuli

Medical Definition

stimulus

noun

stim·​u·​lus ˈstim-yə-ləs 

plural stimuli -ˌlī  -ˌlē 

1

: stimulant sense 1

2

: an agent (as an environmental change) that directly influences the activity of living protoplasm (as by exciting a sensory organ or evoking muscular contraction or glandular secretion)

a visual stimulus