1
as in breathtaking
causing great emotional or mental stimulation
the message of brotherhood in Martin Luther King's stirring "I Have a Dream" speech still resonates today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in emotional
having the power to affect the feelings or sympathies
a stirring rendition of the national anthem
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3
as in buzzing
marked by much life, movement, or activity
spring has arrived, and the meadow is stirring with life
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as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position
I thought I detected a slight stirring of the leaves, and yet there wasn't a breath of wind
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1
2
as in moving
to change one's position
the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet
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3
as in provoking
to rouse to strong feeling or action
news coverage of the fire stirred many to send donations to a fund for the families who had lost their homes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stirring
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
President Kais Saied has often cited foreign funding, which rights groups sometimes rely on, as a threat to Tunisia, using it to fuel a populist narrative and accuse his political opponents and social justice activists of being foreign agents and stirring unrest at home.
—
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
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
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
18 June 2026
On personal Spielbergian projects, Zorro, still in pre-production, had already consumed the energies of five writers and three directors, while Amistad’s racial theme was stirring at once admiration and controversy.
—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stirring
Adjective
On Saturday, Embiid checked the Celtics off his list, scoring 34 points in a stirring Game 7 upset over Boston.
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Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
President Kais Saied has often cited foreign funding, which rights groups sometimes rely on, as a threat to Tunisia, using it to fuel a populist narrative and accuse his political opponents and social justice activists of being foreign agents and stirring unrest at home.
—
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
There have been electric atmospheres too — the noise in Mexico City for the tournament’s opener was genuinely soul-stirring.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
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
Verb
The show has become a routine spot on many celebrity press tours, regularly going viral and stirring the pot on social media.
—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
18 June 2026
On personal Spielbergian projects, Zorro, still in pre-production, had already consumed the energies of five writers and three directors, while Amistad’s racial theme was stirring at once admiration and controversy.
—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stirring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirring
Adjective
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Alberto Carvalho, who has been under FBI investigation for four months, resigned Sunday night as leader of the nation’s second-largest school system, bringing a breathtaking end to one of the district’s most consequential and high-profile tenures.
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In his 18½ years at the Fed, Greenspan presided over a breathtaking surge in stock prices and a 10-year economic boom that began in March 1991.
Adjective
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What emotional content lies just below the surface?
-
Fun dads often skip the emotional pregame.
Adjective
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The device will completely block the ear canal and cause a low buzzing noise that makes drifting off hard.
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Hudson Square is a thriving and buzzing creative hub–and the Dominick’s Street Art Search is designed so their guests could experience exactly that.
Noun
-
Save emails and messages that show shifting expectations, unwarranted criticism or attempts to take credit for your work.
-
Many of the options are changing to accommodate shifting preferences.
Verb
-
Rumors of guest list drama are swirling Unsurprisingly, Swift and Kelce have been tight-lipped about wedding details, but keeping an event this huge under wraps is an uphill battle.
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In May, confirming rumors that had been swirling for months, Anthropic’s life sciences lead Eric Kauderer-Abrams publicly acknowledged that the company is building out its own wet labs and hiring biologists to run its own basic research.
Verb
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Officers can use voice commands, and if those don’t work options include pepper spray, a baton, a TASER or fire extinguisher, though some are more difficult to use on a fast-moving animal, the directive says.
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Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
Verb
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Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.
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Experts don’t fully agree on how helpful a low-histamine diet—which limits histamine-provoking foods—is for systemic mastocytosis.
Adjective
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Not the most exciting half of soccer considering what else has gone on during the World Cup.
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Johnny is a former professional baseball player, which is exciting for Coop, who comes from a family of ball players.
Cite this Entry
“Stirring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stirring. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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