# stimulate

/ˈstɪmjəˌɫeɪt/ (US) · /stˈɪmjʊlˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stimulate
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to encourage growth or activity

verb · CEFR B2

to make something happen or develop more quickly, especially an economy or a process.

For teachers: to encourage or promote the development of or increased activity in a system or process.

- The government lowered interest rates to stimulate the economy and encourage spending.
- The central bank implemented several aggressive measures intended to stimulate domestic investment after a prolonged period of stagnation.

Usage: Often used with abstract nouns like 'economy', 'growth', or 'demand'.

### 2. to excite interest or thinking

verb · CEFR B2

to make someone feel interested or excited about something, or to make their brain more active.

For teachers: to arouse interest, curiosity, or intellectual engagement in a person.

- The teacher used colourful pictures to stimulate the children's imagination.
- The professor's lecture was designed to stimulate critical thinking rather than simply provide a list of facts for memorisation.

### 3. biological response

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to make a part of the body or a plant start working or react to something.

For teachers: to arouse an organism or a specific body part to functional activity through a stimulus.

- Bright light can stimulate the eyes and make it hard to fall asleep.
- The hormone is known to stimulate the production of red blood cells in response to low oxygen levels in the environment.

Usage: Frequently used in medical and biological contexts with 'cells', 'nerves', or 'organs'.

## Examples

- The new tax cuts aim to stimulate the economy.
- Teachers often use puzzles and games to stimulate the students' interest in mathematics.
- The central bank lowered interest rates in an attempt to stimulate consumer spending and prevent the economy from entering a prolonged period of stagnation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.