Synonyms of stirs

stirs 1 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of stir

1

as in swirls

to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly

the recipe says to stir the mixture carefully until it's properly blended

Synonyms & Similar Words

• swirls
• washes
• shakes
• churns
• whirls
• whisks
• agitates
• whips
• beats
• reels
• wheels
• paddles

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

• shifts
• moves
• squirms
• twitches
• fidgets
• rouses
• wiggles
• writhes
• locomotes
• tosses
• budges
• wriggles
• jiggles
• fiddles
• squiggles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• freezes
• remains
• stays
• stills
• hangs around
• stabilizes
• tarries
• sticks around

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

• provokes
• encourages
• stimulates
• arouses
• inspires
• sparks
• incites
• moves
• excites
• motivates
• instigates
• induces
• piques
• drives
• motives
• triggers
• ignites
• fires (up)
• revs (up)
• impassions
• activates
• galvanizes
• inflames
• energizes
• animates
• angers
• kindles
• quickens
• builds a fire under
• enflames
• vitalizes
• bothers
• foments
• fans
• sets off
• enrages
• raises
• keys (up)
• ferments
• gets
• upsets
• whips (up)
• pumps up
• abets
• annoys
• teases
• maddens
• aggravates
• irritates
• taunts
• exasperates
• vexes
• jeers
• galls

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calms
• soothes
• subdues
• tranquilizes
• appeases
• placates
• pacifies
• tranquillizes
• mollifies

stirs

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of stir

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

• commotions
• disturbances
• fusses
• clatters
• turmoils
• roars
• storms
• noises
• bustles
• fun
• bothers
• clutters
• rows
• whirls
• rackets
• coils
• hurricanes
• blathers
• shindies
• uproars
• squalls
• tumults
• furors
• pandemoniums
• zoos
• furores
• corroborees
• kerfuffles
• alarums and excursions
• howls
• ruckuses
• stews
• ballyhoos
• williwaws
• bluster
• hubbubs
• foofaraws
• rumpuses
• hurlies
• pothers
• flurries
• ructions
• moils
• hullabaloos
• splores
• shindys
• hooplas
• ados
• clamors
• welters
• hurry-skurries
• hurly-burlies
• to-dos
• hurry-scurries
• flutters
• hoo-has
• hoo-hahs
• outcries
• bobberies
• do's
• upheavals
• hubble-bubbles
• helter-skelters
• eruptions
• dins
• cacophonies
• brawls
• disorders
• dos
• frays
• outbursts
• scuffles
• hue and cries
• outbreaks
• mêlées
• fracas
• dithers
• fevers
• flare-ups
• lathers
• fracases
• frets
• tizzies
• melees
• hassles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calms
• quiets
• rests
• hushes
• peaces
• tranquillities
• tranquilities
• orders
• quietudes

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

• moves
• shifts
• stirrings
• movements
• motions
• squirms
• migrations
• relocations
• dislocations
• mobilities
• locomotions
• motivities
• motilities
• fiddlings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stops
• pauses
• finishes
• immobilities
• halts
• inertias
• lapses
• stoppages
• shutdowns
• endings
• terminations
• expirations
• discontinuances
• cessations
• shutoffs
• surceases

stirs

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural of stir, slang

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

• jails
• prisons
• penitentiaries
• brigs
• pens
• clinks
• holds
• slams
• bastilles
• big houses
• coolers
• jugs
• hocks
• coops
• lockups
• stockades
• quods
• cans
• pokeys
• cages
• bridewells
• calabooses
• nicks
• hoosegows
• tolbooths
• jailhouses
• keeps
• joints
• tanks
• cells
• slammers
• bull pens
• guardrooms
• dungeons
• holes
• wards
• labor camps
• concentration camps
• hulks
• work camps
• prison camps
• blocks
• glasshouses
• guardhouses
• stalags
• gulags
• reform schools
• training schools
• reformatories
• oubliettes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• outsides

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stirs

Verb

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

Art reigns at the Prado (home to Velázquez and Goya) and the Reina Sofía—where Picasso’s Guernica stirs the soul—but Madrid’s heartbeat is felt in the fierce rhythm of flamenco and the roar of Real Madrid fans at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

In Gemini, Uranus stirs the mind like a kaleidoscope of flashing insights and alternative solutions. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025

But when temptation stirs and hearts wander, the whole town gets caught up in a swirl of romance, mischief and melody. —Leia Mendoza, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025

But when temptation stirs and hearts wander, the whole town gets caught up in a swirl of romance, mischief, and melody. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025

Estuary life stirs behind the sprawling spartina grass, all burnished with an auburn glow. —Jennifer Hope Choi, Bon Appétit, 13 Dec. 2024

CookingPal’s gadget suggests meals, fetches recipes, chops, stirs, and steams ingredients, and then cleans up after itself. —IEEE Spectrum, 3 Jan. 2020