Stimulus
/ˈstɪmjələs/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounSomething that causes a reaction or encourages activity.
Extra definitions
nounAn event encouraging activity.
nounA signal received by a sense organ.
nounAn external phenomenon that has an influence on a system, by triggering or modifying an internal phenomenon; for example, a spur or incentive that drives a person to take action or change behaviour.
Sentence Examples
Bright light is a stimulus.
The reward provided a stimulus.
The therapist presented a gentle stimulus.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
None
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Latin stimulus (“goad, prick”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
“From the beginning of the show to the end, vanity is the sole stimulus and reward of action—vanity, that never looks beyond the present.”
— 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 174:
“Democrats, meanwhile, point out that Republicans seem to have made a conscious decision, beginning with the stimulus, to oppose anything the president put forward, dooming any chance of renewed cooperation between the parties.”
— 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Bright light is a ____.