stimulate

v. arouse, invigorate; spur, goad, motivate

Stimulation is the action of various agents (stimuli) on muscles, nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity.The word is also often used metaphorically. For example, an interesting or fun activity can be described as "stimulating," regardless of its physical effects on nerves.It is also used in simulation technology to describe a synthetically-produced signal that triggers (stimulates) real equipment, see below.
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Verb
1. act as a stimulant; "The book stimulated her imagination"; "This play stimulates"
(synonym) excite
(antonym) stifle, dampen
(hypernym) affect, impact, bear upon, bear on, touch on, touch
(hyponym) quicken, invigorate
(derivation) stimulation, stimulus, stimulant, input
2. cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner; "The ads induced me to buy a VCR"; "My children finally got me to buy a computer"; "My wife made me buy a new sofa"
(synonym) induce, cause, have, get, make
(hyponym) decide
(derivation) stimulation, stimulus, stimulant, input
3. stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of; "These stories shook the community"; "the civil war shook the country"
(synonym) shake, shake up, excite, stir
(hypernym) arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke
(hyponym) fuel
4. cause to be alert and energetic; "Coffee and tea stimulate me"; "This herbal infusion doesn't stimulate"
(synonym) arouse, brace, energize, energise, perk up
(antonym) sedate, calm, tranquilize, tranquillize, tranquillise
(hypernym) affect
(hyponym) cathect
(derivation) stimulant, stimulant drug
5. cause to occur rapidly; "the infection precipitated a high fever and allergic reactions"
(synonym) induce, rush, hasten
(hypernym) effect, effectuate, bring about, set up
6. stir feelings in; "stimulate my appetite"; "excite the audience"; "stir emotions"
(synonym) excite, stir
(hypernym) sensitize, sensitise
(hyponym) masturbate, wank, fuck off, she-bop, jack off, jerk off
(derivation) stimulation, stimulus, stimulant, input
7. provide the needed stimulus for
(synonym) provoke
(hypernym) challenge
(hyponym) entice, lure, tempt
(derivation) stimulation, stimulus, stimulant, input

(v. t.)
To excite; to irritate; especially, to excite the activity of (a nerve or an irritable muscle), as by electricity.
  

(v. t.)
To excite as if with a goad; to excite, rouse, or animate, to action or more vigorous exertion by some pungent motive or by persuasion; as, to stimulate one by the hope of reward, or by the prospect of glory.
  

Synonyms and related words:
activate, actuate, affect the interest, animate, animating, arouse, attract, awaken, brace, brace up, bracing, bring forth, bring out, bring to light, brisk, brisken, buck up, call forth, call out, call up, cheer, chirk up, compel, concern, cultivate, deduce, derive, drag out, draw forth, draw out, dynamize, educe, electrify, elicit, encourage, energize, enliven, enlivening, evoke, excite, excite interest, exhilarate, exhilarating, exhilarative, fascinate, fillip, fire, force, fortify, foster, fresh up, freshen, freshen up, fuel, galvanize, get from, get out of, goad, hearten, impel, incite, increase, induce, inflame, infuse life into, inspire, inspiring, inspirit, interest, intoxicating, invigorate, invite, involve in, jazz up, jolt, kindle, lively, liven, make sensitive, motivate, move, move to action, nourish, obtain, pep up, perk up, pick up, pique, procure, promote, prompt, propel, provocative, provoke, quicken, quickening, reanimate, recreate, refine, refresh, refreshen, regale, reinvigorate, renew, resuscitate, revive, revivify, rouse, rousing, secure, seminal, sensibilize, sensitize, set in motion, set up, sharpen, snap up, spark, spirit up, spur, stimulating, stimulative, stir, stir up, stirring, suggestive, summon forth, summon up, tantalize, tickle, titillate, tonic, vitalize, vitalizing, vivify, wake up, waken, wangle, wangle out of, warm, whet, whip up, winkle out, worm out, worm out of, zip up