as in provokes
to bring something (volatile or intense) into being
couldn't stir up any interest in a Saturday morning outing to the art museum
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirs (up)
Verb
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The aroma of coffee brewing reliably provokes desire.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Deadline can reveal the first trailer for the radical love story revolving around Suzanne and undocumented migrant Osmane, whose relationship provokes a wave of anger and indignation all around them, forcing them to resist.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The extraordinary overture, disclosed by Maxwell’s lawyer during her virtual deposition before the House Oversight Committee, raises further questions about accountability and transparency.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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Grassley said the Arctic Frost timeline, starting with the FBI under Thibault in 2022 and expanding under Smith, raises questions about how aggressively federal investigators pursued Republican lawmakers and organizations while shielding the process from oversight.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stirs (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stirs%20%28up%29. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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