stirring
Americanadjective
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rousing, exciting, or thrilling.
a stirring speech.
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moving, active, bustling, or lively.
a stirring business.
noun
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a mental impulse, sensation, or feeling.
stirrings of hope.
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a small movement.
the best thing she could do was to pretend that her husband's nocturnal stirrings didn't wake her
adjective
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exciting the emotions; stimulating
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active, lively, or busy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stirring
before 900; Middle English stiringe, Old English styriende. See stir 1, -ing 2
Explanation
Something that's stirring is gripping or moving—it inspires some kind of powerful emotion, like Martin Luther King, Jr.'s stirring "I Have a Dream" speech. When people sing stirring songs at church, during a protest march, or around the piano at home, they might make you cry, while a stirring public speaker often makes the crowd feel enthusiastic and roused to action. In the 15th century, this adjective had a much more literal meaning: "in active motion, or animated." The verb stir, "move, rouse, or agitate," shares a root with storm.
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.
Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rich, smoky and thick enough to scoop with chips.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
Dara's success has given Bulgarian society a rare moment of unity in a fragmented country, stirring memories of 1994, when the national football team finished fourth in the World Cup.
From Barron's • May 17, 2026
I wonder how many people in this room are stirring the forces that will be ash in someone’s ice core 1,500 years from now.
From Slate • May 8, 2026
“Amrum” is a stirring example of how childhood reminiscence can stand for so much more.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Austria blamed the government of Serbia for the royal murders and for constantly stirring up trouble.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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.
