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
Jackson and Pearce, who both follow each other on Instagram, have stirred up romance rumors before.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
In the world of whiskey, few names stir up as much reverence—and market frenzy—as W.L. Weller.
—Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
What’s more interesting is the question these vampires stir up: Why would any of their prey fight to stay in this harsh and unjust world?
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
This process takes him into a haunted past and stirs up repressed thoughts of their relationship while guided by a Ghost of Christmas Past-like AI host.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stir up
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Sam Gillette, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
In the world of whiskey, few names stir up as much reverence—and market frenzy—as W.L. Weller.
—Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
What’s more interesting is the question these vampires stir up: Why would any of their prey fight to stay in this harsh and unjust world?
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
This process takes him into a haunted past and stirs up repressed thoughts of their relationship while guided by a Ghost of Christmas Past-like AI host.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Apr. 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 30 Apr. 2025.
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