stirs 1 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of stir
1
as in swirls
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly the recipe says to stir the mixture carefully until it's properly blended

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2
as in shifts
to change one's position the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet

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3
as in provokes
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

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stirs

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of stir
1
as in commotions
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

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2
as in moves
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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stirs

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural of stir, slang
as in jails
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stirs
Verb
The kitchen buzzes as volunteers carry in trays of Creole dishes and barbecue while one of the sisters stirs a large cooler of lemon margaritas. — Windsor Johnston, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026 Refusing to do so, Luis stirs a rivalry and potentially endangers his own employment. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 July 2026 While dealing with an impending counterattack from Oda, Murashige finds that trouble stirs in his own courts as mysterious deaths, from a child prisoner to other officials, end up mysteriously murdered. — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 27 July 2026 Innovative Uranus stirs your 3rd House of Communication, trining transformative Pluto in your 11th House of Friends and Community. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026 Atlantic tropics are quiet while Pacific stirs In the Atlantic basin, forecasters are predicting a quiet stretch of weather. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 22 June 2026 Moehrig is the straw that stirs the drink on the back end. — Mike Kaye june 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026 The Aries Moon stirs home and family matters, so emotional safety matters as much as the agreement itself. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2026 Its movement still stirs something elemental, equal parts comfort and awe. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Noun
Refrigerated pie crust helps this pie come together with just a few stirs of the whisk. — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirs
  1. swirls
  2. shifts
  3. provokes
  4. commotions
  5. moves
  6. jails
  7. washes
  8. encourages
Verb
  • Max Martin, Grande sings of blowing through breakups and make-ups and enduring mounting exhaustion with mass notoriety while the music swirls patiently and frequently angrily underneath.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The galaxy's heart shines brightly in the image, with gleaming rays of light radiating from its center while gas and dust swirls around.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 19 May 2026
Definition of swirls
Verb
  • When its waters warm in just the right places, the jet stream — the fast-moving river of air that steers storms — often shifts its path.
    — Sarah Moore, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This discussion point also shifts the conversation from staying in the past towards the future.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of shifts
Verb
  • The film starts in nature, and the whole experience provokes ideas and inspires something closer to poetry than nostalgia.
    — Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Homer, the enigmatic poet, still provokes and inspires us all.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of provokes
Noun
  • Over the past year, men’s ski jumping has been marred by Norway’s cheating scandal and more recent genital manipulation rumors, which has become one of the early commotions of the Milano-Cortina Games.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of commotions
Noun
  • Cieloween explained that the moves shown by participants vary widely.
    — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Teams can’t do that without outbound moves, and SKC’s roster didn’t have many players with value coming into 2026; the team has signed 17 new players this year.
    — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of moves
Noun
  • In fact, a number of those heading into a sentencing hearing are coming from surrounding county jails that have been holding them for many months.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The crimes homeless people will get charged for are not the ones that will keep them in the county’s already overcrowded jails, Lefkowitz said.
    — Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of jails
Verb
  • Continue reading … CREATOR'S REMORSE — TV legend Oprah washes her hands of any association with Dr Phil or Dr Oz.
    — , FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Griffin diligently washes his hands after his dogs lick them, especially before picking up a slice of pizza.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of washes
Verb
  • There is an agency in charge of enforcing the rules with the objective of putting guardrails around a spending spree exacerbated by a transfer portal that encourages players to seek better offers from different schools.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Painting outdoors offers a slower, more immersive experience that encourages observation, patience, and connection with nature.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of encourages

Browse Nearby Words

stirring (up)
stirs
stirs (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Stirs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stirs. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stirs for Spanish Speakers

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