stimulus

/ˈstɪmjələs/
noun
  1. Something that causes a reaction or response, especially in a living organism.
    • In the experiment, the sound was the stimulus that made the dog salivate.
    • The smell of food is a powerful stimulus that can make you feel hungry.
    • Bright light is a strong stimulus for the human eye.
  2. Something that encourages activity, growth, or development.
    • The government provided a financial stimulus to help small businesses recover.
    • A challenging problem can be a great stimulus for creative thinking.
    • Lower interest rates act as a stimulus for people to borrow money and spend.
Antonyms