- tending to rouse or excite; lively, brisk, or vigorous: a rousing chorus
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
rous•ing /ˈraʊzɪŋ/USA pronunciation
adj. active;
lively:a rousing business.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- exciting;
causing excitement or interest:a rousing speech.
lively:a rousing business.
rous•ing
(rou′zing),USA pronunciation adj.
rous′ing•ly, adv.
- exciting;
stirring:a rousing song. - active or vigorous:a rousing campaign.
- brisk;
lively:a rousing business. - exceptional;
extraordinary:a rousing lie.
- rouse1 + -ing2 1635–45
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
rousing /ˈraʊzɪŋ/ adj
rouse1 /raʊz/USA pronunciation
v., roused, rous•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to (cause to) come out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, etc.: [~ + object]tried to rouse her but she was still unconscious.[no object]She wouldn't rouse.
- to cause excitement, indignation, or anger in:[~ + object]His speech roused the people from their apathy.
rouse1 (rouz),USA pronunciation
v., roused, rous•ing, n.
v.t.
v.i.
n.
rous•ed•ness
(rou′zid nis),USA pronunciation n.
rous′er, n.
rouse2 (rouz),USA pronunciationn.
v.t.
- to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy, depression, etc.:He was roused to action by courageous words.
- to stir or incite to strong indignation or anger.
- Animal Husbandryto cause (game) to start from a covert or lair.
- Nautical, Naval Termsto pull by main strength; haul.
v.i.
- to come out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, apathy, depression, etc.
- Animal Husbandryto start up from a covert or lair, as game.
n.
- a rousing.
- a signal for rousing;
reveille.
- 1480–90 in sense "(of a hawk) to shake the feathers''; 1525–35 for def. 3; origin, originally uncertain
- 1. arouse, stir, excite, animate, stimulate, awaken, kindle, inflame, fire. 1. 2. See incite. 2. provoke, anger.
- 1. 2. lull, calm, pacify.
rouse2 (rouz),USA pronunciation
- [Archaic.]a carouse.
- [Obs.]a bumper of liquor.
- perh. variant of carouse (drink carouse being wrongly analyzed as drink a rouse) 1595–1605
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
rouse /raʊz/ vb
- to bring (oneself or another person) out of sleep, unconsciousness, etc, or (of a person) to come to consciousness in this way
- (transitive) to provoke, stir, or excite: to rouse someone's anger
- rouse oneself ⇒ to become active or energetic
- to start or cause to start from cover: to rouse game birds
- (intransitive) (of hawks) to ruffle the feathers and cause them to stand briefly on end (a sign of contentment)
- /raʊs/ (intransitive) followed by on: Austral to speak scoldingly or rebukingly (to)
- chiefly US
another term for reveille
rouse /raʊz/ n archaic
- another word for carousal
'rousing' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
belter
- awakening
- carouse
- electric
- pep rally
- rabble-rouse
- rabble-rousing
- rearouse
- rouse
- uprouse
- send-off
- stemwinder
- stir
- stirring