to arouse interest
2
3.8
- phrasal verb
- /əˈraʊz ˈɪntrəst/
- Teachers often use exciting stories to arouse interest in their students before starting a new lesson.
Examples
-
Macedonia aroused interest in its cause in the West, something hard to gain in the cash-strapped capitals of Paris, London, and Washington.
Academic text (1997) -
Great archaeologists, like Schliemann, who discovered the site of ancient Troy, can describe their findings in scintillating and understandable prose, but they will fail to arouse interest in those who lack passion for Trojan artifacts.
Blog text (32) -
It also creates distinction and arouses interest.
Academic text (2008) -
No, what I needed was an imaginary tale that would arouse interest and eager response.
Fiction book (1992) -
Arouse interest and motivate children to participate actively in the lesson.
Academic text (1997) -
In the late 1950s, however, with the breakdown of colonial systems in Africa, news coverage of these events began to arouse interest in its peoples, cultures, and arts.
Academic text (2000) -
One of his teachers was John Dewey, who invited teachers to include psychology in the curriculum by "creating an environment where the child found herself or himself confronting problems that aroused interest in science, art, and history."
Academic text (2011) -
The surprising documentary can arouse interest in viewers who typically avoid history.
-
New scientific discoveries are sure to arouse interest among researchers and students alike.
Synonyms
980
3.2
Cause someone to feel excited and ready to act
936
1.9
Make people notice or want something
196
3.5
Make someone want to do something
189
1.0
To make someone want to know more about something
185
3.7
Make a person or thing more active, alert and responsive
152
2.5
To make people notice something or someone
142
5.1
To make someone curious or interested
134
3.7
Cause a reaction or feeling
103
2.7
Attract someone's attention because it is interesting or noticeable
65
4.4
To cause strong feelings in someone
51
3.4
To attract and hold someone's strong interest or attention
38
2.8
Make someone notice you or something
24
4.7
To make someone want to know more
23
3.3
Make someone notice something quickly and feel interested
16
2.7
To make something more active, alert or interested
16
3.0
To get noticed and make people interested
12
8.2
To strongly attract or excite someone
9
6.5
To cause a strong feeling or interest to begin
4
5.5
To make someone feel excited about something
1
3.4
To make someone want to know more
1
9.2
To make someone feel a strong emotion
Make someone notice something
Antonyms
How Interested
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to make someone feel curious or attentive' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'arouse' (to cause a reaction) with 'interest' (curiosity or engagement). This simple verb + noun composition is a common, literal pattern in English (and mirrored in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both words should readily understand the phrase.
Etymology
Arouse interest uses the image of waking someone: to arouse means 'to wake' or stir a feeling, and interest is curiosity. So, to 'arouse interest' is to wake up someone's curiosity and make them pay attention.