as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity
seeing a Broadway play for the first time was the stimulus for her career in the theater
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Recent Examples of stimulus
Democrats largely ignored concerns from critics that all that stimulus could send prices soaring.
—
David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
Was the $2,000 stimulus check approved?
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 27 Dec. 2025
Word games, information sleuthing, instructional videos, and even just chatting with friends can provide positive stimuli.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Economists have also raised concerns that the tariff dividend could contribute to a rise in inflation, as the COVID stimulus checks did.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stimulus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stimulus
Noun
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The official boundaries of the new stadium incentive district have not yet been finalized.—
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The grocer will also receive a $50,000 retailer incentive bonus.—
Noun
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Similar moves in other antitrust actions, including the recent settlements in American college sports, have proven pivotal, with an initial settlement with one party providing the impetus for other parties to settle as well.—
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Their impetus was to subvert the expectations of stories involving characters from their community.—
Noun
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Her brother shaved his head alongside her, while friends organized care packages, drove her to sessions and offered constant encouragement.—
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The chatbot repeatedly offered Nelson doting messages and constant encouragement, Turner-Scott claimed.—
Noun
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Duffy denied any political motivation.—
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His content, often featuring humorous music about food was intended as motivation for Lomax’s own health journey.—
Cite this Entry
“Stimulus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stimulus. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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