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.
Hedge-fund manager David Einhorn caused a stir two years ago when he called markets “fundamentally broken.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, oil, buttermilk powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, parsley, black pepper and red pepper until well combined.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
At one session, Rodriguez taught the class how to make a stir fry, which included four portions costing £2 each.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Whenever Celenza has a leftover vegetable, his go-to is usually a frittata or a stir fry.
From Salon ● Jul. 2, 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
Keep an eye on No. 16, Rodri—he’s the midfielder who stirs it all, like a conductor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
A pair of heartwarming World Cup reflections: Soccer stirs up all sorts of emotions for fans.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
A month after banning raw lithium exports, Zimbabwe is tightening its regulations and ramping up its crackdown on mineral smuggling in a major shake-up that is winning local praise even as it stirs concerns.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
"Henry Moore's King and Queen stirs a strong response in those who view it," said a Christie's spokesperson.
From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2026
James stirs, and I know he is still awake.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death on Saturday stirred up a mess of feelings.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
For Patricia, the knowledge that the men who killed her cousin have finally faced justice stirred an overwhelming thought.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas have stirred the pot on Fox as Thierry Henry and Rebecca Lowe keep the ball moving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
While she vigorously stirred her bowl of bibimbap topped with natto, Smith knew that this would only make it even stringier.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
When the plane started descending, Mom stirred in her seat.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Dahlia Lithwick’s stirring opening essay is definitely worth a read.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
Parallel to Byrd’s stirring public advocacy is a crucial personal thread: her nurturing of Shelly, whose progressing dementia requires regular supervision.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
The Centre Court crowd rallied behind Djokovic, chanting the Serb's name in the hope of stirring him to a fightback - but opportunities remained difficult to come by.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Stowe’s stirring, Dickensian melodrama of a black family’s travails amid the horrors of slavery was a nationwide sensation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Ruffling his feathers, he hopped upon the rail fence, threw his head back, and told everything within hearing distance that it was a beautiful Ozark morning and it was time to start stirring.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
