: 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
New York Times, 11 June 2026
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
Joshua Dudley, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
The high heat accentuates the natural sweetness of the onions and still gives them that pleasantly toasty and golden color and texture, just with a little less fuss than caramelizing onions on a stovetop, which requires regular stirring.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stirring
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Adjective
Using stirring rhetoric, Kennedy boldly declared America’s opposition to Communism in the Cold War, promoted civil rights, championed Tax Cuts, and challenged Americans to land astronauts on the moon.
—New York Times, 11 June 2026
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
Noun
Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem, presented the Luminary Award to Copeland with a stirring tribute that truly underscored her importance as someone who is not only a master of her art form, but a cultural ambassador for it as well.
—Joshua Dudley, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
The high heat accentuates the natural sweetness of the onions and still gives them that pleasantly toasty and golden color and texture, just with a little less fuss than caramelizing onions on a stovetop, which requires regular stirring.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 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 17 Jun. 2026.
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