as in to provoke
to bring something (volatile or intense) into being
couldn't stir up any interest in a Saturday morning outing to the art museum
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stir (up)
Verb
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But Felder also feared that the attack would provoke unprecedented violence against Palestinians, and believed that being Jewish required adhering to certain moral precepts.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026 -
Analysts have warned such a move could provoke wider retaliation and further destabilize shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes.—
Steve Mollman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Young raised concerns about the legitimacy, and even the existence, of the agreement.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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The goal is to continue the mission with the money raised.—
Kerri Corrado,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stir (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stir%20%28up%29. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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