: a beginning of motion or activity : movement
—often used in plural
the first stirrings of revolution
Examples of stirring in a Sentence
Adjective
a stirring rendition of the national anthem
the message of brotherhood in Martin Luther King's stirring “I Have a Dream” speech still resonates today
Noun
I thought I detected a slight stirring of the leaves, and yet there wasn't a breath of wind.
Recent Examples on the Web
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
She’s forced to deliver a stirring speech to convince him.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 20 May 2026
Founding Fathers will go from the stirrings of revolution to the long and bloody fight for independence, and on into the early years of the American republic.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stirring
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Adjective
The stirring power of soul is alive in a few cross-generational musicians carrying on the legacy in distinct ways.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
She’s forced to deliver a stirring speech to convince him.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Noun
But the thread that hooked Howard was how Avedon parlayed his success and status in the world of pop culture to create stirring and thought-provoking images about the wider world.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 20 May 2026
Founding Fathers will go from the stirrings of revolution to the long and bloody fight for independence, and on into the early years of the American republic.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stirring
Cite this Entry
“Stirring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stirring. Accessed 28 May. 2026.
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