1
2
as in shifts
to change one's position
the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provokes
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in commotions
a state of noisy, confused activity
the plane's first jolt caused a stir among the passengers, and by the third one they were in a panic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moves
the act or an instance of changing position
we were warned that the slightest stir would scare the mother bird so we hardly dared to breathe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jails
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the mule had just got out of stir and was being followed by the feds, who had their sights set on the kingpin of the operation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stirs
Kevin Coulson, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
You're being pulled beneath the surface and something ancient stirs in the black below.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Not with how much the Wild are banking on Kaprizov to be the straw that stirs the drink for the foreseeable future.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025
His arrival stirs faint whispers under the Song statues and quietly nudges Hongmei’s buried past toward the surface.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
This stirs an uneasy thought in the astrobiologist’s mind.
—Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025
The video, which resurfaces in her Google memories each year around her daughter’s birthday, always stirs something complicated.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
For decades, scientists have considered the moon a dead world—a silent, unchanging landscape where nothing stirs.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Cardinal safety Budda Baker is still wreaking havoc and remains the proverbial straw that stirs the drink.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Ryder Cup, too, stirs intense concentrations of emotion given the team format.
—Kevin Coulson, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
You're being pulled beneath the surface and something ancient stirs in the black below.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Not with how much the Wild are banking on Kaprizov to be the straw that stirs the drink for the foreseeable future.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025
His arrival stirs faint whispers under the Song statues and quietly nudges Hongmei’s buried past toward the surface.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
This stirs an uneasy thought in the astrobiologist’s mind.
—Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025
The video, which resurfaces in her Google memories each year around her daughter’s birthday, always stirs something complicated.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
For decades, scientists have considered the moon a dead world—a silent, unchanging landscape where nothing stirs.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Cardinal safety Budda Baker is still wreaking havoc and remains the proverbial straw that stirs the drink.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirs
Verb
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But as the trial date approaches and uncertainty swirls over what the lawsuit could mean for the future of stock car racing, many of the team owners expressed a feeling of urgency to see the litigation resolved and indicated the current charter system was vital for their continued existence.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
4 Oct. 2025
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Energy has had a tremendous five-year run, but investors have been cautious in 2025 as uncertainty swirls around policymakers.—
Jeff Kilburg,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the Dash does have an outsized history that shifts it out of the realm of poetry and folklore alone.—
Leanna Renee Hieber,
Big Think,
2 Oct. 2025
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When the frame shifts up and over the reservoir’s edge, Copco 1 appears as a concrete colossus, standing sentry over the river naively burbling below.—
Anne Reeve,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Every action provokes a reaction.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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After a sleepy start to the second half at Old Trafford, the arrival of Benjamin Sesko, and the relocation of Cunha into a deeper position, provokes a fresh wave of interest.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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According to Energy Star, the average American family washes approximately 300 loads of laundry annually.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
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Boiled down in a cauldron using traditional methods, the sulfate-free formula bubbles up into a lovely lather that washes hands without stripping them (the glycerin, as well as coconut, olive, and sweet almond oils, are to thank) and fills the room with its sophisticated, Provençal scents.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The platform has been heavily criticized over the last year by users who’ve said their smart home gadgets have been left to wither as Google moves away from Assistant and focuses on Gemini.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
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As the seasons shift, the divide between tropical Gulf air and cooler Canadian air usually moves farther south across the United States, the weather service said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Avoid over feeding plants, which encourages foliage to grow at the expense of blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
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Guadagnino encourages our doubts, shooting Maggie in exaggerated horror-movie closeups set to the doomy bass notes and shrieking winds of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The work captures life between Mount Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples, where the ground shakes periodically and the fumaroles of the Phlegraean Fields taint the air.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 Oct. 2025
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The roar starts before the lights go down — a low, collective thunder that shakes the arena floor.—
Crystal Bell,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nostalgia stimulates positive emotional experiences, as well as improving an individual's self-esteem.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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During digestion, fat stimulates the release of bile acids from the gallbladder.—
Brittany Lubeck,
Verywell Health,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stirs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stirs. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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