STIRS Synonyms: 265 Similar and Opposite Words

stirs 1 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of stir

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

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Relevance

as in shifts

to change one's position the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet

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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

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stirs

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of stir

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

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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

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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

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outsides

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of stirs

Verb

Michaelson asked Fisher about a particular conversation between the two former Lakers that still stirs strong emotions for the 18-year NBA veteran. —

Monica Haider, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026 Paul Mescal stirs as the Bard, complete with an earring, but his co-star Buckley breathes heart-wrenching life into Hamnet. —

Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026 Your 4th House of Family gets busy as information-gathering Mercury stirs plans, while auspicious Jupiter highlights your 10th House of Accomplishments. —

Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026 The end of the year always stirs a bit of excitement in the design world, especially when paint makers reveal their picks for the year ahead. —

Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026 January stirs something brave inside you, urging you to release the tired logic that kept you safe but stagnant. —

Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Jan. 2026 Not an easy topic, and certainly one that stirs emotion today. —

Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 1 Jan. 2026 In a cave that hid freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad, their uncle shares a story of a creature that stirs at night. —

Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 15 Dec. 2025 Getting a rise out of people Internet platforms use algorithms designed to keep people engaged, and that typically means promoting content that stirs emotions. —

Lisa Fazio, The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirs

Verb

To load the product onto the brush, Barnes swirls the tool into the pan twice and taps it twice to prevent fallout.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2025
The lights are dim and jazzy music swirls the intimate crowd.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025