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Synonyms

stirring

American  
[stur-ing] / ˈstɜr ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. rousing, exciting, or thrilling.

    a stirring speech.

  2. moving, active, bustling, or lively.

    a stirring business.


noun

  1. a mental impulse, sensation, or feeling.

    stirrings of hope.

  2. a small movement.

    the best thing she could do was to pretend that her husband's nocturnal stirrings didn't wake her

stirring British  
/ ˈstɜːrɪŋ /

adjective

  1. exciting the emotions; stimulating

  2. active, lively, or busy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • stirringly adverb
  • unstirring adjective

Etymology

Origin of stirring

before 900; Middle English stiringe, Old English styriende. See stir 1, -ing 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At last I heard Betsie stirring in the kitchen and ran down to join her.

From Literature

Already the birds were stirring in the trees.

From Literature

My words were airy, with no hint of the humiliation and spite stirring just under the surface.

From Literature

These films break through a dense documentary market with their stirring portraits of wars, political leaders, activists, artists, musicians, movements, and occasionally, regular people like you and me.

From Salon

We built Iran in our American kitchens and living rooms, and now the real one is stirring.

From The Wall Street Journal