titillate

verb

tit·​il·​late ˈti-tə-ˌlāt How to pronounce titillate (audio)
titillated; titillating
Synonyms of titillatenext

transitive verb

1
: to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation
2
: tickle sense 1

intransitive verb

: to act as a stimulant to pleasurable excitement
titillation
ˌti-tə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce titillate (audio)
noun
titillative
ˈti-tə-ˌlā-tiv How to pronounce titillate (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of titillate

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Examples of titillate in a Sentence

a film made to titillate the audience writing that titillates and provokes
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Lawrence did not write those scenes to titillate, though. — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 The result is a genre of prose writing that continues to shock, titillate and entertain. — Literary Hub, 30 June 2026 At the time, there were no algorithms designed to feed you content meant to titillate, provoke or keep your attention. — Larry Magid, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026 The allure of the cruise might not be the titillating sense of discovering a new locale, but discovering new people and new ideas along the way. — Paula Conway, Forbes.com, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for titillate

Word History

Etymology

Latin titillatus, past participle of titillare

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of titillate was in 1620

Rhymes for titillate

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Browse Nearby Words

titilla
titillate
titillating
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Cite this Entry

“Titillate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titillate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

titillate

verb
tit·​il·​late ˈtit-ᵊl-ˌāt How to pronounce titillate (audio)
titillated; titillating
1
: tickle entry 1 sense 1
2
: to excite pleasurably
titillation
ˌtit-ᵊl-ˈā-shən How to pronounce titillate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on titillate

Nglish: Translation of titillate for Spanish Speakers

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