Meaning & use
catalyst
A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed, or something that triggers significant change.
See it in a sentence
The introduction of the new CEO acted as a catalyst for the company's turnaround.
Enzymes act as biological catalysts, speeding up reactions inside living cells.
A note on using this word
In chemistry "catalyst" is precise and technical; in everyday use it broadly means anything that provokes change.
Words with a similar meaning
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