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
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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
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Recent Examples of stirring
ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Infinite Illumination is a triumph of melodic, soul-stirring, profoundly heavy metal.
—Brad Sanders, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 20 May 2026
Founding Fathers will go from the stirrings of revolution to the long and bloody fight for independence, and on into the early years of the American republic.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 May 2026
Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
In this early 19th-century rebirth of backcountry religion, traveling ministers preached a fiery gospel of grace, stirring large crowds with their open-air sermons.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stirring
Adjective
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
Infinite Illumination is a triumph of melodic, soul-stirring, profoundly heavy metal.
—Brad Sanders, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
But the thread that hooked Howard was how Avedon parlayed his success and status in the world of pop culture to create stirring and thought-provoking images about the wider world.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 20 May 2026
Founding Fathers will go from the stirrings of revolution to the long and bloody fight for independence, and on into the early years of the American republic.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 May 2026
Verb
On the flip side, Jackson earned his first Tony nomination in 2023 for his stirring performance in a revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.
—Huntley Woods, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
In this early 19th-century rebirth of backcountry religion, traveling ministers preached a fiery gospel of grace, stirring large crowds with their open-air sermons.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stirring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirring
Adjective
-
Catch a show with a breathtaking backdrop.—
Tamara Gane,
Travel + Leisure,
15 June 2026
-
Nina Dobrev put an unexpected—yet breathtaking—spin on the bridal trend on Saturday.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Astronomer and UFOlogist Jacques Vallée appears to shed additional light on Juan’s story, and dramatic effects sequences dramatize the emotional impact of his close encounter.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 June 2026
-
Diesel — who starred in the debut film with Paul, before the actor died at 40 in a fatal 2013 car crash — thanked Meadow for attending in an emotional speech before the screening.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The device will completely block the ear canal and cause a low buzzing noise that makes drifting off hard.—
Liana Handler
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
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.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Save emails and messages that show shifting expectations, unwarranted criticism or attempts to take credit for your work.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Many of the options are changing to accommodate shifting preferences.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Rumors then began swirling that Wilde and Pugh clashed on set over creative differences.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
17 June 2026
-
Some other great ways to use it include thinning it with lemon juice and water for a salad dressing, drizzling it over roasted cauliflower or sweet potato, swirling it into a savory oatmeal, or using it as the base for noodle sauces.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
As officers approached, the boy appeared disoriented and began moving farther into the water, at times going under the surface, police said.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
-
Congress is moving to put more pressure on Sudan’s warring factions, as the three-year war perpetuates one of the globe’s worst humanitarian crises.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
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.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
-
Experts don’t fully agree on how helpful a low-histamine diet—which limits histamine-provoking foods—is for systemic mastocytosis.—
Gagandeep Brar,
Health,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Other research has reinforced the idea that reframing a stressful challenge into an exciting opportunity can lead to better performance.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Most exciting perhaps is how intuitive the lights are.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stirring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stirring. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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