stimulant

/ˈstɪmjələnt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstɪmjələnt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstim-yə-lənt/ (ame, mw)

stimulant — noun

  • stimulantsingular
  • stimulantsplural

1. a drug or other substance that speeds up the body or mind for a short time, so y

1.名詞B2
釋義

a drug or other substance that speeds up the body or mind for a short time, so you feel awake and full of energy

例句

The doctor warned Tariq that coffee is a mild stimulant and can disturb his sleep.

mild stimulant; effect on sleep

Many cold medicines contain a stimulant that keeps you awake at night.

contain a stimulant

同義詞
  • upper

    informal slang for a stimulant drug

  • tonic

    older word; a substance that makes you feel stronger

反義詞
  • sedative

    a drug that makes you calm or sleepy

  • depressant

    a substance that slows down the body or mind

文法句型

take a stimulant

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names a physical substance you can take or measure, while sense 2 names an event or factor that encourages something.

常見錯誤

❌Coffee gives me a stimulant in the morning.
✅Coffee is a stimulant that wakes me up in the morning.
💡the drink is the stimulant; you do not 'get' a stimulant from it.

2. an event, activity, or piece of news that pushes something to grow, improve, or

2.名詞C1
釋義

an event, activity, or piece of news that pushes something to grow, improve, or happen faster

例句

Lower interest rates acted as a powerful stimulant to the housing market last spring.

a stimulant to + [thing that grows]

Christopher believes that travel is the best stimulant for fresh ideas.

stimulant for + [thing encouraged]

同義詞
  • spur

    more about a sudden push to act

  • boost

    informal; an increase in level or confidence

  • incentive

    specifically a reward that makes you want to do something

反義詞
  • deterrent

    something that stops or discourages action

文法句型

a stimulant to/for + noun

用法筆記

Subject is usually an abstract force (a policy, an event, a change) rather than a person; the thing it acts on is named with 'to' or 'for'.

常見錯誤

❌The coach was a great stimulant to the team.
✅The coach's praise was a great stimulant to the team.
💡this sense points to an event or factor, not directly to a person.