arouse

IPA/əˈraʊz/
KK[ɚˈaʊz]IPA/əˈraʊz/

arouse — verb

  • arousepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • arouseshe / she / it
  • arousedpast simple
  • arousing-ing form

1. to cause an inner feeling or reaction to begin in a person or group — for exampl

1.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to cause an inner feeling or reaction to begin in a person or group — for example, curiosity, anger, suspicion, or sympathy — without yet making them act on it.

Example

The strange noise from the attic aroused Nikolai's curiosity straight away.

arouse + curiosity (typical collocation)

The mayor's careful answer aroused suspicion among several local reporters.

arouse + suspicion (typical collocation)

Common collocations
  • arouse curiosity
  • arouse suspicion
  • arouse interest
  • arouse anger
  • arouse sympathy
  • arouse fear
Synonyms
  • provoke

    stronger; often suggests a deliberate or unwanted reaction

  • stir

    softer; often used with deeper emotions like memories or pity

  • spark

    less formal; suggests a sudden start, often of interest or debate

Antonyms
  • calm

    to reduce a strong feeling rather than start one

  • soothe

    to make worry or anger become smaller

Grammar Patterns

arouse + noun (feeling)

arouse somebody's + noun (feeling)

Usage Note

Subject is usually a thing or event (a smell, a comment, a photo), not a person speaking on purpose. The object is normally an emotion noun: curiosity, suspicion, anger, interest, sympathy, fear.

Common Mistakes

The teacher aroused the students about the project.
The teacher aroused the students' interest in the project.
you arouse a feeling, not a person directly, in this sense.

2. to cause sexual desire in someone, or to come to feel sexual desire because of s

2.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to cause sexual desire in someone, or to come to feel sexual desire because of someone or something.

Example

The film's long bedroom scene clearly aroused several couples sitting near the back of the cinema.

Some readers wrote that the novel's love scenes had aroused them deeply.

Common collocations
  • sexually arouse
  • be aroused by
  • easily aroused
Synonyms
  • excite

    broader; can also mean make eager about non-sexual things

  • turn on

    informal; far more common in everyday speech than 'arouse'

Antonyms
  • turn off

    informal; to make someone lose sexual interest

Grammar Patterns

arouse somebody

be aroused by something

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive (be aroused by). The object is a person, never an emotion word in this sense — distinguish from sense 1, where the object is a feeling such as 'curiosity' or 'anger'.

Common Mistakes

The film aroused his desire.
The film aroused him.
in this sense, the direct object is the person, not the desire itself.

3. to stir a person or group out of a quiet or hopeless state so that they take rea

3.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to stir a person or group out of a quiet or hopeless state so that they take real action.

Example

The young leader's speech aroused the crowd to march to the city hall.

arouse somebody to do something

Reports of unfair pay finally aroused the factory workers to action.

arouse somebody to + action (noun)

Common collocations
  • arouse to action
  • arouse the crowd
  • arouse the workers
Synonyms
  • rouse

    very close in meaning; slightly more common in modern English

  • rally

    specifically about gathering people together for a shared cause

  • galvanize

    stronger; suggests a sudden, sharp push into action

Antonyms
  • discourage

    to take away someone's willingness to act

Grammar Patterns

arouse somebody (to do something)

arouse somebody to + noun

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: here the result is movement or behaviour (people start doing something), not just an inner feeling. Often appears with a 'to'-phrase showing the action that follows.

Common Mistakes

The speech aroused the crowd very much.
The speech aroused the crowd to march on the gates.
this sense usually needs a clear action that follows.

4. to make a sleeping person become awake, often by noise, touch, or a sudden event

4.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to make a sleeping person become awake, often by noise, touch, or a sudden event.

Example

A loud bang from the kitchen aroused Grandpa from his afternoon nap.

arouse somebody from + noun (sleep state)

The nurse gently aroused Mr. Okonkwo to give him his evening medicine.

Common collocations
  • arouse from sleep
  • arouse from a nap
  • arouse from a dream
Synonyms
  • awaken

    also formal; very close in meaning

  • wake

    everyday word; far more common in conversation

  • rouse

    slightly less formal than 'arouse' for waking someone

Antonyms
  • lull

    to make someone fall asleep, often by gentle sound or movement

Grammar Patterns

arouse somebody (from something)

be aroused from sleep

Usage Note

Formal — in everyday speech most Taiwanese learners hear 'wake up' or 'wake somebody'. Often follows the pattern 'arouse somebody from sleep / a nap / a dream'. Don't confuse with sense 3 (push into action): sense 4 is only about leaving the state of sleep.

Common Mistakes

I usually arouse at seven o'clock.
I usually wake up at seven o'clock.
'arouse' needs an object; you can't arouse yourself in this sense.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five verbs describe causing a feeling or reaction, but they fit different scenes. 'Arouse' is fairly formal and pairs naturally with curiosity, suspicion, interest, and sympathy — usually as an automatic response to something noticed: 'The empty bag aroused suspicion.' 'Provoke' is sharper and often suggests an unwanted, even hostile reaction, especially anger or argument: 'His remark provoked outrage.' 'Stir' is gentler and is preferred for deeper or older emotions, such as memories, pity, or pride: 'The old song stirred memories of her childhood.' 'Spark' is less formal and emphasises a sudden start: 'The video sparked debate online.' 'Evoke' focuses on calling up a feeling or image already linked to something — typical with mood, memory, atmosphere: 'The smell of pine evoked her grandfather's cabin.' Choose 'arouse' when an everyday clue or sign quietly triggers a strong inner response.

arouse ↗provoke ↗stir ↗spark ↗evoke ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • arouse somebody's curiosity
  • arouse public interest
  • arouse strong emotions
  • be aroused from sleep

Prepositions

  • from (sleep / a nap)
  • in (somebody)
  • by (something)
  • to (action)

Etymology

Anglo-NormanMiddle EnglishEarly Modern EnglishEnglish

Built in late 16th-century English from the prefix 'a-' (an old intensifier meaning 'up, into action') plus the verb 'rouse', which itself came into English in the 1400s from Anglo-Norman hunting language, where it described making a deer jump up from its resting place. So the original picture behind 'arouse' is of stirring a creature out of stillness — first literally waking or startling it, and later, by a natural step, waking up feelings, desire, or willingness to act.