stir up
verb
stirred up; stirring up; stirs up
1
: to cause (someone) to feel a strong emotion and a desire to do something
The speech stirred up the crowd.
2
: to cause (something) to move up into and through the air or water
The workers stirred up a lot of dust.
3
: to cause (something, usually something bad or unpleasant) to happen
They're trying to stir up trouble.
But, of course, there's a reason politicians generally try to communicate deliberately: It helps them avoid saying things that might offend voters or stir up controversy.—
Philip Bump
Philip BumpI'm not a rebel, trying to stir things up just to be provocative.—Norma Klein
Norma Klein… the incident stirred up a hornet's nest of protest and indignation.—Robert T. Martinott
Robert T. MartinottExamples of stir up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cited by many creatives and execs as their favorite film festival, Spain’s San Sebastián — a European A-list fest just below Berlin, Cannes and Venice in size — stirs up a classic cinematic cocktail for 2025 under director José Luis Rebordinos.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
The researchers believe that after sustaining their injuries, the pterosaurs fell into the lagoon and drowned in the waves, falling to the seabed where mud stirred up by the storm rapidly buried them.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Such a degree of power and wealth naturally stirs up resistance and reaction.
—Paul Kingsnorth, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
In 2021, the influencer stirred up more criticism after releasing a homemade skincare product called Snake Oil for $75.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stir up
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John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
The researchers believe that after sustaining their injuries, the pterosaurs fell into the lagoon and drowned in the waves, falling to the seabed where mud stirred up by the storm rapidly buried them.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Such a degree of power and wealth naturally stirs up resistance and reaction.
—Paul Kingsnorth, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
In 2021, the influencer stirred up more criticism after releasing a homemade skincare product called Snake Oil for $75.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stir up
Cite this Entry
“Stir up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stir%20up. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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