stir up

verb

stirred up; stirring up; stirs up

transitive verb

1
: to cause (someone) to feel a strong emotion and a desire to do something
The speech stirred up the crowd.
2
: to cause (something) to move up into and through the air or water
The workers stirred up a lot of dust.
3
: to cause (something, usually something bad or unpleasant) to happen
They're trying to stir up trouble.
But, of course, there's a reason politicians generally try to communicate deliberately: It helps them avoid saying things that might offend voters or stir up controversy.Philip Bump
I'm not a rebel, trying to stir things up just to be provocative.Norma Klein
… the incident stirred up a hornet's nest of protest and indignation.Robert T. Martinott

Examples of stir up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There was an earthiness, a sadness stirring up memories and questions — what was behind his generous outlook, his perpetually warm smile? Gia Kourlas, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 The minute details of butter history stirred up TikTok users, many of whom flocked to the comments to advocate for their side of dairy history. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 So, is this latest stunt a rejection of the quiet luxury craze, the start of a new trend, or simply a stir up views and clicks? Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2024 As Venus and Uranus clash, the choices of a loved one stir up unrest. USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024 The lawsuit comes as the port is trying to turn the corner from the turmoil surrounding Naranjo’s censure, an unprecedented action that stirred up public animus between the agency and the commissioner’s most ardent supporters. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Feb. 2024 When ice is not there to protect the eggs, strong winds and waves stir up the sediment and reduce the number of fish that hatch in the spring. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 Rocha stirred up controversy during his time as an ambassador, making a public comment suggesting U.S. aid to Bolivia may stop if leftist leader Evo Morales was elected in the country’s 2002 presidential election. Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 It’s been fun to watch Night Country stir up the most True Detective buzz since the first season — a tribute to the distinctively depressing world creator Issa López built around the fictional Ennis, Alaska, and the intriguing study in female power traced by Foster and Reis. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stir up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stir up was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stir up

Cite this Entry

“Stir up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stir%20up. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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