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 disturb the quiet of : agitate

a bear stirring up the bees

4

: 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

Notice what stirs up complex emotions while the Gemini moon talks with Pluto. —Usa Today, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025

Other film studios have received questionable investments without stirring up controversy. —Will Tavlin, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025

The film has been revered by critics and has stirred up Oscars buzz for Chalamet, with many awards pundits deeming him the frontrunner for the best actor prize. —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025

Some of the Friend’s followers—men, it must be said—turned on the group, stirring up land disputes and forcibly delivering the Friend a warrant for blasphemy. —Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stir up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup