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

In a cave that sheltered freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad, their uncle shares a story of a creature that stirs at night. —

William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026 Where the pre-retroshade plants seeds and the retrograde stirs them up, the post-retroshade is where clarity arrives and choices get made. —

Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026 Creative courage returns as the instinctive Moon conjoins mischievous Mercury in your 5th House of Play, urging you to express whatever stirs within. —

Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 17 Mar. 2026 If a family conversation stirs old worries, that’s normal. —

Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2026 In a cave that sheltered freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad, their uncle shares a story of a creature that stirs at night. —

Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026 Last year’s first-round pick and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is the straw that stirs the drink for the entire offense. —

Mike Kaye updated March 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026 So news of yet another live-action Tinker Bell project probably stirs something between hope and wariness. —

Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026 As someone with fond memories of the 1990s and Faustino Asprilla, Newcastle and Barcelona stirs something in me. —

The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026

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