1
2
as in to shift
to change one's position
the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action
news coverage of the fire stirred many to send donations to a fund for the families who had lost their homes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the plane's first jolt caused a stir among the passengers, and by the third one they were in a panic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position
we were warned that the slightest stir would scare the mother bird so we hardly dared to breathe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the mule had just got out of stir and was being followed by the feds, who had their sights set on the kingpin of the operation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stir
CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring often.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
While Powell’s mullet certainly caused quite the stir online, Birns believes Storrie’s curly version will top 2026 trends.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Verb
The euthanization program has stirred debate about how to manage the local population of dingoes, a sandy-colored canine believed to have first arrived in Australia 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.
—CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring often.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Season 3 also welcomes newcomers Iris Apatow and Costa D'Angelo, who are sure to give the pot a fresh stir.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
While Powell’s mullet certainly caused quite the stir online, Birns believes Storrie’s curly version will top 2026 trends.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stir
Verb
-
By the time Aubry came back for season 38, her head was swirling from her time in the reality television bubble, and her psyche was ready to burst.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Earlier this week, news reports swirled that the local business would be closing its doors and shutting down popcorn production.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Hayes, 55, appears alone onstage, shifting between stark stillness and tightly wound intensity as the story closes in around him.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
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And given its compact construction, only someone with a small build could navigate the passage by hunching over or shifting sideways, presenting an awkward picture.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His allies would say the victim had provoked their own death and blame Democrats for inciting the violence.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
-
In the main event of SmackDown, Trick Williams defeated Damian Priest by DQ after provoking Sami Zayn.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a contemplative trailer announcing the news, the artist is seen washing his truck and eating solo at a restaurant.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Few ripples washed through Wall Street Wednesday after the Federal Reserve decided to hold its main interest rate steady, just like investors expected.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
By rolling MXene flakes into tubes, the team created hollow structures that allow ions to move more freely.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Karlee Smith jumped on a quad bike to help herd sheep away from the fast-moving flames on a farm in the town of Gellibrand, a small rural town, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) southwest of Melbourne.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Warned about assignments, encouraged to job hunt This story is based on interviews with 10 current and former Post staffers drawn from both the newsroom and the business side of the paper.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
30 Jan. 2026
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In a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Matt Damon, the star of many movies that college students may not have seen, said that Netflix has started encouraging filmmakers to put action sequences in the first five minutes of a film to get viewers hooked.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Frictionlessness, generally speaking, is the design ethos that whisks a user seamlessly from Instagram ad to online shopping cart; from Word document to AI chatbot; from drawing pad to image generator.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
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After being whisked away on honeymoons with their newly betrothed, the couples spend three weeks counting down to decision day at the altar.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Because of the false but persistent and powerfully seductive nostrum that reducing the value of a country’s currency will stimulate its economy by making its exports cheaper and its imports more expensive.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The two ingredients are packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help support a healthy scalp and promote blood circulation, which stimulates hair follicles.—
Melony Forcier,
InStyle,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stir. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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