to move one's hand or an implement continuously or repeatedly through (a liquid or other substance) in order to cool, mix, agitate, dissolve, etc., any or all of the component parts.
to stir one's coffee with a spoon.
to set in tremulous, fluttering, or irregular motion.
A soft breeze stirred the leaves.
to affect strongly; excite.
to stir pity;
to stir one's heart.
to incite, instigate, or provoke (usually followed byup ).
to stir up a people to rebellion.
to move briskly; bestir.
to stir oneself.
to move, especially in a slight way.
He would not stir a finger to help them.
to rouse from inactivity, quiet, contentment, indifference, etc. (usually followed byup ).
to stir up his potential.
to bring up for notice or discussion.
Older Use. to disturb; trouble.
A slow wave of remembrance stirred her peace.
to move, especially slightly or lightly.
Not a leaf stirred.
to move around, especially briskly; be active.
Everyone in the house was stirring.
to become active, as from some rousing or quickening impulse.
to be emotionally moved or strongly affected.
to be in circulation, current, or afoot.
Is there any news stirring?
the act of stirring or moving.
the sound made by stirring or moving slightly.
a state or occasion of general excitement; commotion.
The news created a stir.
a mental impulse, sensation, or feeling.
a stir of hope.
a jog, poke, or thrust.
He gave the refuse a stir with his foot.
movement, especially brisk and busy movement.
There was too much clamor and stir for her.
to move an implement such as a spoon around in (a liquid) so as to mix up the constituents
she stirred the porridge
to change or cause to change position; disturb or be disturbed
he stirred in his sleep
to venture or depart (from one's usual or preferred place)
he won't stir from the fireside
(intr) to be active after a rest; be up and about
(tr) to excite or stimulate, esp emotionally
to move (oneself) briskly or vigorously; exert (oneself)
(tr) to rouse or awaken
to stir someone from sleep
to stir memories
informal to cause or incite others to cause (trouble, arguments, etc)
informal to move or become active
the act or an instance of stirring or the state of being stirred
a strong reaction, esp of excitement
his publication caused a stir
a slight movement
informal a noisy party
See ado.
First recorded before 900; Middle English verb stiren, Old English styrian; cognate with German stören “to disturb, interrupt”; akin to Old Norse styrr “disturbance, brawl”; see storm
First rcorded in 1830–35; argot word of obscure origin; perhaps from Romani sturiben “prison,” staripen “imprison”; compare earlier argot start in same sense
To stir is to mix something up. You can literally stir cake batter with a spoon, or figuratively stir someone's emotions by writing them a heartfelt letter. You can stir muffin batter with a wooden spoon, and stir in a cup of blueberries. When people stir, they start to move after being still or asleep: "It was only five o'clock, but he could hear the kids start to stir." And when something stirs you, it brings up some emotion: "That music always stirs up my sad memories." Stir shares a root with the Old Norse styrr, "tumult or disturbance."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Its pieces stir and whir, suggesting a madcap puzzle machine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The 52-metre long rocket has caused a stir among locals, with some "sneaking out" of work for a glimpse, and others preparing their boats for a closer look at the debris.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
He believes Homer's origins should not stir up rivalry between Turkey and Greece.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Finish: Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped basil.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
I heard my sisters stir beside me, muttering as they woke, and I knew it was working.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Cocktail writer Kara Newman featured Paper Plane in her recent book “Shake. Stir. Sip.” and calls it one of her favorites.
From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2017
Being put on a PIP by someone who used to be your equal probably stirs up feelings of inadequacy.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
A pair of heartwarming World Cup reflections: Soccer stirs up all sorts of emotions for fans.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
Nonetheless, Simón stirs up the ineffable sadness that comes with wanting answers to the mysteries of your family — and then, like it or not, receiving them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
Nothing stirs up Taylor Swift's fervent fan base quite like new material.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
As he mounts the crowd stirs and speaks in a vast murmur: “Argaven!”
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Mychal Threets, the Bay Area librarian who hosts PBS’ reboot of “Reading Rainbow,” stirred concern among fans earlier this week after saying on social media that he is “not okay” and seeking treatment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Use it anywhere a little concentrated summer would be welcome: shaken into cocktails or mocktails, stirred into iced matcha or sparkling water, drizzled over gelato or spooned onto yogurt.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Throughout human history eclipses have stirred amazement, fear and reverence, as they appear to momentarily halt the normal course of nature.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
But just the idea of a comeback has stirred nostalgia among people who remember the MySpace days of more than 20 years ago as a place where personal pages were messy, loud, and deeply individual.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
“From the time humankind achieved time travel,” a voice boomed out, just like in a movie preview, “people have been stirred with compassion for the sufferings of the past.”
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
In a whitewashed basement in a village south of Kabul, a dozen young women bustle about, stirring cauldrons of bubbling cherries and plums, and sticking labels on glass jam jars.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
At Mars, the solar wind appears to produce a similar effect by "stirring" the outer boundary of the upper atmosphere.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026
"It'd all go to waste otherwise," he told AFP, while stirring a metre-radius metal pan perched atop a gas burner filled with ratatouille.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Haaland’s singularity was a testament to how humanity seeks heroes — but Spain’s ultimate triumph via crisp passes and selfless teamwork offered a stirring, convincing collective counterpoint.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
There were also traditional cooking utensils like wooden stirring sticks and pots.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
