1
2
as in to shift
to change one's position
the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action
news coverage of the fire stirred many to send donations to a fund for the families who had lost their homes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the plane's first jolt caused a stir among the passengers, and by the third one they were in a panic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position
we were warned that the slightest stir would scare the mother bird so we hardly dared to breathe
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as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the mule had just got out of stir and was being followed by the feds, who had their sights set on the kingpin of the operation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stir
Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until the apples are lightly browned.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
The quote caused a stir throughout Cortina.
—Outside, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Verb
Despite those declines, the parishes still stir fierce loyalty among the faithful, especially among the many who grew up on the West Side attending their schools, which send new students each year on to nearby Elder High School and Seton High School.
—Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until the apples are lightly browned.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
Never mentioned, or even alluded to… which was the case for anything else that might have raised much of an eyebrow or a stir, in a show that could have aired at just about any time in the 21st century, aside from the closing montage of Charlie Kirk imagery.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Feb. 2026
The quote caused a stir throughout Cortina.
—Outside, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stir
Verb
-
Dubai moved to end the negative publicity swirling around one of its most prominent companies by appointing a new leadership team to ports group DP World.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Gas and dust swirling around a black hole block visible light, but infrared light can punch right through.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tenuous evidence of mass exodus Sensor Tower’s user data more fundamentally seems to suggest that beyond anecdotal claims, users have largely been unable to identify tangible changes in TikTok’s American operations, or at least, not enough to meaningfully shift user sentiment.—
Matthew Chin,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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If the robot learns to pick up a bottle in an exact position and the bottle is shifted slightly, a system that only imitates will repeat the original gesture and fail.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The International Shark Attack File, run by the Florida Museum of Natural History, classifies the attacks as provoked or unprovoked based on whether a human initiated the contact.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The pollutants diminished over time — absorbed into the landscape and washed into waterways.—
Rachel Becker,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Francis says to wash your vase thoroughly with mild soapy water before adding the stems, and fill it 3/4 of the way full with lukewarm water.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As a politicized national fight over waste, fraud and abuse led by Republicans have targeted California and its Democratic leadership, Bonta and other state officials have moved swiftly to combat the claims.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Moreover, the bottle had only ever moved between Burgundy and Bordeaux, a driving distance of roughly 300 miles.—
Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Your 7th House of Partnership steadies as boundary-setting Saturn arrives, encouraging clear agreements across your closest bonds so your diplomatic style can bring fairness without overgiving.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The evening was more about the vibe; Gelman encourages all guests to dress up in fancy cocktail attire.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The lemon curd filling must be whisked until smooth, but never curdled.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Add flour or cornstarch and cook, continuously whisking, for around 3 minutes to make a roux.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Then, they are manually placed on Multi Electrode Arrays (MEAs), a grid of tiny electrodes on a biocompatible substrate chip that records and stimulates neurons using 32 electrodes grouped into four sets of eight.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
-
To wit, lymphatic brushes join the ranks of depuffing tools like gua shas, face rollers, and dry brushes; most working to stimulate lymphatic drainage, your body’s natural detoxification process.—
Emily Orofino,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stir. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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