“Arouse” vs. “Rouse”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “arouse” and “rouse”

  • Arouse is typically related to emotions or feelings, while rouse is related to physical activity or awareness.
  • Arouse often implies a more subtle stimulation, while rouse can imply a more forceful or abrupt waking or movement.
  • Arouse is often used in a romantic or sexual context, while rouse is used in more general contexts such as motivating someone to action.
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What is the definition of “arouse” and “rouse”?

Arouse
  • Arouse means to awaken feelings or emotions in someone or something.
  • Arouse can also mean to sexually stimulate or excite.
  • Arouse can be used in a non-sexual context, such as arousing suspicion or interest.
Rouse
  • Rouse means to wake someone up from sleep or inactivity.
  • Rouse can also mean to stir someone into action or awareness.
  • Rouse can refer to physical movements, such as rousing a fire or stirring a solution.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Rouse” is the more popular variant on the web.
Arouse
27,100,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning is enough to arouse my senses and wake me up.
  2. The provocative outfit she wore to the party aroused the attention of many people.
  3. The movie was intended to arouse emotions and stimulate thought in the audience.
More popular
Rouse
30,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The loud sound of the alarm clock roused me from a deep sleep.
  2. He tried to rouse his sleeping dog, but she refused to move from the comfortable spot on the couch.
  3. The coach's motivational speech before the game roused the team's spirits and boosted their confidence.
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