CATALYST Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

catalyst

noun

Definition of catalyst

as in stimulus

something that arouses action or activity Her expulsion from the university proved to be a catalyst for needed change.

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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 His death sparked outrage across the community and became a catalyst for Mexican American activism, with Pike Park, where Santos once played, becoming a place for protesting and organizing. — Alexis Guerrero, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 In the 1980s, Kagan found that a catalyst, a helper that speeds up a reaction, does not have to be entirely made of molecules with the same handedness to make a purely single-handed product. — Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 The author went on to claim that the former NFL player’s overcommitment to his career was the primary catalyst for Brady and Bündchen’s divorce. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 8 Oct. 2026 In the early 1980s, French chemist Kagan found ways to control chemical reactions with different types of catalysts, allowing scientists to produce a greater excess of one of the mirror image molecules. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catalyst

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catalyst

Noun

The leaders who are willing to pause between stimulus and response create sustainable change.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Researchers have studied how certain facial and auricular stimuli interact with parasympathetic activity.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of stimulus

Noun

Montanans are suffocating due to an affordability crisis, rising fuel prices and an inexplicable war.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Oil is big over there, and the two sides are targeting fuel operations, trying to destroy the war-making ability of the other.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of fuel

Noun

There’s the plush seating area for makeup, hair, and comfortable waiting, of course, but there’s also a bathroom replete with outlets for styling tools and with multiple sinks.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
This year's prizes began with the Nobel for medicine, awarded Monday to three scientists whose work led to a tool that uses light to help unravel how the brain works.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of tool

Noun

Most breast cancer cases in older women are estrogen-receptor positive (ER+), meaning that tumor cells have receptors that bind to estrogen and trigger cancer growth.

— Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Gut inflammation may disrupt essential bacteria that help the body digest certain trigger foods, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Gastroenterology.

— Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of trigger

Noun

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation, the department said.

— Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2026
The disaster management agency is trying to determine the cause of the flash flood in the Budhi Gandaki river, which merges into the Trishuli river and is a key waterway near the capital Kathmandu.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of cause

Noun

By combining the two medications, EloraTZP is designed to build on the effects of tirzepatide while introducing a complementary mechanism for controlling food intake.

— Mike McRae October 09, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026
Reliable guidance and control mechanisms remain equally important for ensuring accuracy and maintaining stability under demanding flight conditions.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026