as in stimulus
something that arouses action or activity
Her expulsion from the university proved to be a catalyst for needed change.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of catalyst
Apple 's short-term catalysts may be weighed down by its longer-term risks, according to Jefferies.
—
Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 2 July 2025
Singer Cassie, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend whose real name is Casandra Elizabeth Ventura, was the catalyst to Diddy’s legal woes.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
Starting pitching proved to be the biggest catalyst in the team’s ultra-hot start, but without the presence of the ace, things just feel different.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
The Fort Worth Arts Council, established in 1963, served as a catalyst to the foundation of the arts and culture scene of Fort Worth.
—Sara Pezzoni, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for catalyst
Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 2 July 2025
Singer Cassie, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend whose real name is Casandra Elizabeth Ventura, was the catalyst to Diddy’s legal woes.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
Starting pitching proved to be the biggest catalyst in the team’s ultra-hot start, but without the presence of the ace, things just feel different.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
The Fort Worth Arts Council, established in 1963, served as a catalyst to the foundation of the arts and culture scene of Fort Worth.
—Sara Pezzoni, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for catalyst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catalyst
Noun
-
Chinese markets were sharply higher in earlier trading, buoyed by signs of possible additional stimulus measures in China and Goldman Sachs Group’s upgrade of Hong Kong stocks to market-weight.—
Teresa Cerojano,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
-
Using a tool to measure how patients perceive stimuli like temperature and touch, researchers in Germany found that women with lipedema had a lower pain threshold compared with other women.—
Francesca Gilbard,
NBC news,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Lynyrd Skynyrd founding member wanted the band to continue after his death Ronnie Van Zant was killed in a plane crash in October 1977 when the band’s chartered flight bound for Louisiana ran out of fuel.—
Brie Stimson , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
6 July 2025
-
Anyone trying to fill up their gas tank knows that finding a good deal on gas is sometimes more painful than the actual price of fuel.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
And Marcus Wheatland, known as the doctor of the swells, was a medical practitioner and a pioneer of X-rays as a diagnostic tool.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
8 July 2025
-
For many, this trend is both logical and necessary: the skill sets, tools and time required to defend against modern threats are out of reach for many lean internal teams.—
Nolan Garrett,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Why this is effective: Frustration becomes the trigger for improvement.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
But police haven't determined if Anderson or Smith allegedly pulled the trigger.—
Danielle Bacher,
People.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
At this time, there is no information on the containment of the fire and the cause of it remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 July 2025
-
The county coroner will rule her official cause of death.—
Avery Williams,
The Enquirer,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Designing solutions where payment lifecycles include strong alerting mechanisms is crucial.—
Sunny Banerjee,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
In the Chicago area, the mechanisms for alerting the public vary county by county, and, in some cases, city by city.—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
But another member of the Southeastern Connecticut delegation who served as the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Aundre Bumgardner, D-Groton, said that the Plainfield proposal had been the primary impetus for the bill.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
9 July 2025
-
Still, Streeter suggested that further pressure from the U.K. regulator could provide the impetus required to accelerate changes within the company.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Lacan’s arrival comes at a perfect moment for the Sun, who are in desperate need of a spark coming off a brutal four-game road trip last week.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
5 July 2025
-
Even sparks or embers carried by the wind can ignite nearby leaves or grass, triggering a fire that spreads rapidly.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catalyst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catalyst. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share