arousal

Plural: arousals

Noun

• The action or fact of arousing or being aroused.
• the act of arousing
  • "the purpose of art is the arousal of emotions"
• a state of heightened physiological activity
• awakening from sleep
• mutual sexual fondling prior to sexual intercourse
• The act of arousing or the state of being aroused.
• Sexual arousal.
• A physiological and psychological state of being awake or reactive to stimuli, including elevated heart rate and blood pressure and a condition of sensory alertness, mobility and readiness to respond.
• Arousal from sleep or hibernation.

Examples

• bodily arousal
• emotional arousal
• Some people get arousal from the depiction of feet.
• The animal undergoes regular spells of arousal.
• the mechanism for arousal from sleep
• The potential for a bingo play on the board caused a great arousal of excitement.
• to influence the arousal of brain and behavior

Synonyms

foreplay, rousing, stimulation, alertness, horniness, wakefulness