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to arouse

to arouse

42 6.6
Make someone feel sexual desire or excitement
  • verb
  • /əˈraʊz/
  • NSFW
translation icon : excitar
  • Rather, the stories reveal how their physical desires were aroused by a different way of looking or touching.
  • arouse sexual desire
  • sexually aroused
  • feel aroused

We do things to arouse the opposite sex.

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Examples

  • However, as sexual activity begins, the woman appears to become aroused and finally acts as a willing participant.

    Academic text (1998)
  • And the men got aroused right there in the front row.

  • We do things to arouse the opposite sex.

  • That will begin to arouse him and see you as a sexy being.

  • Oh, I got aroused, too.

  • Against his will, he had been aroused by the first picture of the girl.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Well, to put it simple, women need more time to get aroused and reach orgasm than men do.

  • The feel of his tongue aroused her to the point of ecstasy, as it always did.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Anxiety about sexual desirability is aroused by the tone and message content of the article.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The romantic movie was made to arouse feelings of desire in the audience.

Synonyms

to turn on
vsto arouse
  • NSFW
152 7.2

To make someone feel excited or interested

is limited to causing sexual desire rather than broader excitement
to excite
vsto arouse
  • NSFW
18 5.7

To make someone feel sexual desire

is the same sexual meaning rather than other senses
to titillate
vsto arouse
  • NSFW
8 8.3

Make someone feel a little excited in a playful or sexual way

is stronger and refers to direct sexual desire rather than mild teasing

Antonyms

21 4.2

Make someone or something move back and stay away, often by using force

Phrasal Verbs

To make someone want to know more

To make someone feel curious about something and want to know more

How Aroused

to turn on
  • NSFW
152 7.2
to arouse
  • NSFW
42 6.6
to tempt
146 3.3
to attract
991 1.9

Surface Forms

arouse infinitive
aroused past
aroused past participle
arousing present participle
arouses third person singular

Morphology

arouse = rouse (semi-transparent) = a + rouse

Knowing 'rouse' suggests excitation or stimulation, but the specifically sexual reading is a conventional specialization rather than a predictable effect of the prefix.

Etymology

Arouse comes from a- + rouse, with rouse meaning 'stir up' or 'wake'. So to arouse someone sexually is to 'stir up' desire or excitement.