stimulus

stimulus — noun

1. An event, action, or measure that encourages increased activity, growth, or deve

1.名詞B2
釋義

An event, action, or measure that encourages increased activity, growth, or development within a system, economy, or process.

例句

The new trade agreement gave the region's economy a much-needed stimulus.

collocation: much-needed stimulus

Lakshmi believes that lower taxes provide a strong stimulus for small businesses to grow.

provide a stimulus for [noun] to [verb]

同義詞
  • incentive

    more specific — usually a financial or material reward that motivates action, whereas stimulus is broader

  • boost

    more informal — suggests a temporary increase in energy or activity

  • motivation

    can be internal or external; stimulus is always something external that triggers a response

  • spur

    more literary — suggests an urgent push toward action

反義詞
  • deterrent

    something that discourages activity rather than encouraging it

  • discouragement

    a force that reduces rather than increases activity or growth

文法句型

stimulus + for + noun phrase

stimulus + to + noun phrase

act as a stimulus

provide a stimulus

用法筆記

Common in economics and business contexts. The plural form is 'stimuli' (from Latin), not 'stimuluses'. Frequently paired with verbs such as 'provide', 'give', 'act as', and 'serve as'.

常見錯誤

❌Coffee is a stimulus that helps me wake up.
✅Coffee is a stimulant that helps me wake up.
💡'stimulus' refers broadly to anything that causes activity or a reaction; 'stimulant' is specifically a substance that temporarily increases physical or mental energy, such as caffeine or nicotine.

2. An external change or signal that triggers a physical response in a living thing

2.名詞B2
釋義

An external change or signal that triggers a physical response in a living thing or a specific part of its body, for instance a muscle contracting or a nerve sending a message.

例句

When a person touches a hot stove, the pain is the stimulus that makes them pull their hand away.

stimulus + that-clause for automatic reflex

Ari's biology project tested how bean plants respond to light as a growth stimulus.

respond to + [noun] as a stimulus

同義詞
  • trigger

    more general — used for both physical and non-physical causes; often suggests a sudden onset

  • cue

    specifically a signal that prompts a learned or expected response, common in psychology

  • prompt

    gentler than stimulus — suggests encouragement rather than a direct cause

反義詞
  • response

    the reaction caused by the stimulus rather than its opposite; in physiology, stimulus and response form a cause-effect pair

文法句型

stimulus + that-clause

respond to + a stimulus

[noun] + as a stimulus

用法筆記

Standard term in biology, psychology, and medicine. The plural 'stimuli' is irregular and frequently appears in academic writing (e.g., 'external stimuli', 'auditory stimuli'). A stimulus is always the cause; the body reaction is called the 'response'.

常見錯誤

❌The medicine was a stimulus for my headache.
✅The medicine was a treatment for my headache.
💡'stimulus' means something that causes a reaction, not something that cures or reduces one.