as in to awaken
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Recent Examples of bestir
Newspapers can barely bestir themselves to report on the latest inhumanity in Ukraine — the latest bombing of a school, say.
—
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Nov. 2024
Witnesses—from staffers and family members to congresspeople—conjured a muted Commander-in-Chief, who could not bestir himself, as armed rioters stormed the Capitol building, to rise from his seat at the head of the West Wing’s dining-room table and call off the mob.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 22 July 2022
The New York Times finally bestirred itself to report on Reade’s charges, burying them on page A20 of its Easter Sunday edition.
—Nr Editors, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020
If the charges against Bob Kraft are proven to be true, then Goodell should bestir himself to punish the Patriots owner severely, and with something beyond a fine.
—Charles P. Pierce, Sports Illustrated, 16 Mar. 2019
Drew Nolan caused his coach, Harry Litwack, to bestir himself from the bench.
—Frank Fitzpatrick, Philly.com, 8 June 2018
Nobody in all his years of coaching at Temple has bestirred Litwack from the bench so often as Drew Nolan.
—Frank Fitzpatrick, Philly.com, 8 June 2018
And yet most of us have still not bestirred ourselves to care, much less to march in the streets demanding change.
—Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2017
And yet most of us have still not bestirred ourselves to care, much less to march in the streets demanding change.
—Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2017
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Nov. 2024
Witnesses—from staffers and family members to congresspeople—conjured a muted Commander-in-Chief, who could not bestir himself, as armed rioters stormed the Capitol building, to rise from his seat at the head of the West Wing’s dining-room table and call off the mob.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 22 July 2022
The New York Times finally bestirred itself to report on Reade’s charges, burying them on page A20 of its Easter Sunday edition.
—Nr Editors, National Review, 16 Apr. 2020
If the charges against Bob Kraft are proven to be true, then Goodell should bestir himself to punish the Patriots owner severely, and with something beyond a fine.
—Charles P. Pierce, Sports Illustrated, 16 Mar. 2019
Drew Nolan caused his coach, Harry Litwack, to bestir himself from the bench.
—Frank Fitzpatrick, Philly.com, 8 June 2018
Nobody in all his years of coaching at Temple has bestirred Litwack from the bench so often as Drew Nolan.
—Frank Fitzpatrick, Philly.com, 8 June 2018
And yet most of us have still not bestirred ourselves to care, much less to march in the streets demanding change.
—Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2017
And yet most of us have still not bestirred ourselves to care, much less to march in the streets demanding change.
—Dino Grandoni, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bestir
Verb
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Leah’s inheritance becomes the inciting incident in a series of events that unravel her life: Her trip awakens a latent violence in her husband and an invigorating independent streak in her.—
Xochitl Gonzalez,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
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The experience was shared on Reddit, where the passenger detailed how the person seated behind him, in first class nonetheless, repeatedly tapped and slapped the person's head and hat to awaken him to help retrieve a lost earbud.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Since returning to the White House for his second term, the president has vowed to replicate the impact of his original travel bans, which stirred several legal battles with courts that blocked the mandate.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
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However, Trump's trade stance has stirred unease among state leaders who are banking on foreign investment.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
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From classic role plays surrounding one's age or pets to the strangely specific, like men being aroused by women playing with toy cars or eating pizza.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
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The offensive Orientalist depictions of Chinese characters that were common in Hollywood films of that era inevitably aroused strong passions in Chinese audiences.—
H.M.A. Leow,
JSTOR Daily,
3 June 2025
Verb
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A week later, Carlos was awoken at 5 a.m. and told to pack up.—
Allison McCann,
New York Times,
11 June 2025
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When Mendler awoke some mornings, her mom would still be tapping away at her architectural designs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Other moms responded with similar accounts of staying up to check baby monitors, zooming in to see if their infants were breathing, or waking in panic from vivid dreams.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
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Really just to wake him up to the notion that he’s been sleepwalking for the last 10 or 20 years.—
Rosemary Rossi,
Variety,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bestir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bestir. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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