stirring 1 of 3

adjective

ˈstər-iŋ How to pronounce stirring (audio)
Definition of stirringnext
1
as in breathtaking
causing great emotional or mental stimulation the message of brotherhood in Martin Luther King's stirring "I Have a Dream" speech still resonates today

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in emotional
having the power to affect the feelings or sympathies a stirring rendition of the national anthem

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in buzzing
marked by much life, movement, or activity spring has arrived, and the meadow is stirring with life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stirring

2 of 3

noun

as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position I thought I detected a slight stirring of the leaves, and yet there wasn't a breath of wind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stirring

3 of 3

verb

present participle of stir
1
as in swirling
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in moving
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 provoking
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

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 stirring
Adjective
While certain songs successfully couple lyrical and musical prowess to arrive at a stirring destination, not every track is quite as ambitious. — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2026 While Mexico has never won a World Cup, Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca has been the site of some of Argentina’s greatest soccer triumphs, notably its championship in the stirring 1986 World Cup. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Noun
Add remaining 2 large onions, thinly sliced, and remaining 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. — Catherine Yoo, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Sep. 2026 When the oil is shimmering, add the panko and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
The story centers on two ex-lovers who come back into each other’s lives after spending decades apart, only to find old feelings stirring with messy and mixed results. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over and just cooked through, 3–4 minutes more. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stirring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirring
  1. breathtaking
  2. emotional
  3. buzzing
  4. shifting
  5. swirling
  6. moving
  7. provoking
  8. exciting
Adjective
  • Princess Rajwa was the star of the day, of course, in her breathtaking gown by Elie Saab.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Canaletto, a prominent member of the Venetian school, is best known for his breathtaking oil paintings of Venice and London.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of breathtaking
Adjective
  • The breakthrough was to make Bonnie’s loneliness the emotional engine.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Building an international band that includes Eiko Ishibashi, Jim O’Rourke, and a whistler, the Australian guitarist shapes longform spells of emotional and musical ambiguity.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of emotional
Adjective
  • All the joy and buzzing activity arose from humble beginnings.
    — Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Still, a supportive connection between the moon, Neptune and Pluto retrograde adds a deeper undercurrent to all the buzzing and socializing.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of buzzing
Noun
  • Masterplan, though, will be exclusive to streaming—but Tucci seems comfortable shifting platforms when required.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Leaning into a new fragrance can be a meaningful way to mark the shifting of the seasons, and Belnu's two latest launches -- Still Bloom and Vanilla Bouclé -- offer two stunning scents to try this fall.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of shifting
Verb
  • Outside, the Santa Ana winds sent debris swirling with powerful gusts.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • As for the suites, the highlight is their private terraces, peaceful havens from which to admire, paradoxically, the urban whirlwind swirling below.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of swirling
Verb
  • In this moving memoir Levy details the reality of reclaiming autonomy post-divorce.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Hickel also found himself back behind the camera, moving a puppet frame by frame.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of moving
Verb
  • In 2012 American entrepreneur Russ George spread roughly 100 tons of iron in the North Pacific, provoking international criticism that a commercial venture had begun geoengineering without adequate oversight.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The same principle applies to debates about religion, economics and virtually any subject capable of provoking strong emotions.
    — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of provoking
Adjective
  • An unopened box may look exciting when it is surrounded by balloons, friends and the smell of cake.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • They're packaged quite perfectly for gift-giving in a gift set of four mini bars that are just as exciting to unwrap as an (edible) holiday treat.
    — Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of exciting

Browse Nearby Words

stirred (up)
stirring
stirrings
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stirring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stirring. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vocation

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All