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
• kindles
• angers
• quickens
• builds a fire under
• 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
• appeases
• tranquilizes
• placates
• pacifies
• 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
• noises
• storms
• bustles
• fun
• bothers
• whirls
• clutters
• rows
• rackets
• coils
• blathers
• hurricanes
• uproars
• squalls
• tumults
• furors
• pandemoniums
• furores
• zoos
• kerfuffles
• alarums and excursions
• ruckuses
• stews
• ballyhoos
• williwaws
• howls
• bluster
• hubbubs
• foofaraws
• rumpuses
• hurlies
• pothers
• ructions
• moils
• hullabaloos
• flurries
• shindys
• splores
• hooplas
• ados
• clamors
• welters
• hurly-burlies
• to-dos
• hurry-scurries
• flutters
• hoo-has
• outcries
• bobberies
• upheavals
• hubble-bubbles
• helter-skelters
• eruptions
• dins
• cacophonies
• brawls
• outbursts
• disorders
• dos
• frays
• scuffles
• hue and cries
• outbreaks
• dithers
• fevers
• flare-ups
• lathers
• fracases
• frets
• tizzies
• melees
• hassles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calms
• quiets
• rests
• hushes
• peaces
• 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

The kitchen buzzes as volunteers carry in trays of Creole dishes and barbecue while one of the sisters stirs a large cooler of lemon margaritas. — Windsor Johnston, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026

Refusing to do so, Luis stirs a rivalry and potentially endangers his own employment. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 July 2026

While dealing with an impending counterattack from Oda, Murashige finds that trouble stirs in his own courts as mysterious deaths, from a child prisoner to other officials, end up mysteriously murdered. — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 27 July 2026

Innovative Uranus stirs your 3rd House of Communication, trining transformative Pluto in your 11th House of Friends and Community. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026

Atlantic tropics are quiet while Pacific stirs In the Atlantic basin, forecasters are predicting a quiet stretch of weather. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 22 June 2026

Moehrig is the straw that stirs the drink on the back end. — Mike Kaye june 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026

The Aries Moon stirs home and family matters, so emotional safety matters as much as the agreement itself. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026

Its movement still stirs something elemental, equal parts comfort and awe. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

Noun

Refrigerated pie crust helps this pie come together with just a few stirs of the whisk. — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026