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
On TikTok, innocuous creators have accidentally stirred up spirited debates over wedding-guest dresses—and celebrities aren’t immune to the discourse, either.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025
The Leo full moon also stirs up themes of home and family for you on the 12th, pushing you to reevaluate what security truly means to you.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2025
Retaliatory actions by the three U.S. trade partners are also likely to stir up trouble for American companies.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
This stirs up some feelings for Lucas, given that this was supposed to be his patient.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stir up
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Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2025
The Leo full moon also stirs up themes of home and family for you on the 12th, pushing you to reevaluate what security truly means to you.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2025
Retaliatory actions by the three U.S. trade partners are also likely to stir up trouble for American companies.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
This stirs up some feelings for Lucas, given that this was supposed to be his patient.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 27 Mar. 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 8 Apr. 2025.
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