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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stir
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
My grandmother stirred pots at dawn with instinct and devotion.
—Vikas Khanna, Time, 13 May 2026
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 May 2026
It’s caused quite the stir on social media, with personalities like Clay Travis weighing in, saying First Take should have Bayless on during the NFL season.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Verb
Spread into an even layer in the pan, cover, and cook, stirring halfway through, until the squash is tender but not mushy, 6 to 8 minutes.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
My grandmother stirred pots at dawn with instinct and devotion.
—Vikas Khanna, Time, 13 May 2026
Noun
After Bo Nix’s follow-up ankle procedure caused quite the stir in recent weeks, Payton said Nix could still end up throwing in minicamp later in June.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 May 2026
It’s caused quite the stir on social media, with personalities like Clay Travis weighing in, saying First Take should have Bayless on during the NFL season.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stir
Verb
-
Day-trippers can swirl a glass of peppery Carménère at a Spanish-colonial Maipo Valley winery, soak in milky-green hot springs at Colina Valley, or hike to the Condor Lookout to photograph the largest raptors on earth.—
Mark Johanson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
-
The Paloma Sherbet is grapefruit and reposado tequila swirled with chili lime curd.—
Ella Gonzales
May 15,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
But even more than this, contemporary Russian literature has fallen prey to the shifting norms of cultural consumption.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
First, in terms of travel distance, European tourists may shift from long-haul trips to shorter journeys.—
,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Similar summaries of the show in the magazine Soap Opera Digest provoked outrage within the fledgling magazine’s readership.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
On May 18, Venus will conclude its journey through the flirtatious and thought-provoking sign of Gemini and enter the sentimental and hopeless romantic sign of Cancer.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The incident wasn’t the first time Nixon caused a commotion on the House floor over redistricting.—
Gray Rohrer,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
-
The employees will either be able to reach out to the culprit to quiet things down, or could transfer you to another room if the commotion doesn’t quit.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The conventions of American journalism don’t serve this shifting, multi-sided reality well.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Land borders dispute since 1948 The creation of the state of Israel in 1948, which led to the mass displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians and a subsequent Arab-Israeli war in 1948, led to a further shifting of borders in the region.—
Mireille Rebeiz,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Cities spend millions cycling people through jails for sleeping outside while affordable housing waitlists continue to grow.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
He is being held in the county jail on a $15,000 cash bond.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The shower caps are made from biodegradable corn starch, while the biodegradable slippers have no plastic wrapping and are washed before being donated to local students.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
-
For example, in Liberia and Sierra Leone, some mourners bathe in water that was used to wash corpses.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The campaign now moves forward with voters weighing sharply different visions for California’s future as the primary draws closer.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
The Raiders had their worst season since moving to Las Vegas last year.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stir. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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