Stir Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Published on June 17, 2026
Stir means to move or cause to move slightly; to mix a substance by moving an implement in a circular pattern. e.g., She stirred her coffee with a spoon before taking a sip.
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Stir Definitions
To mix a liquid or other substance by moving an object such as a spoon in a circular motion.
He stirred the soup to prevent it from sticking to the pot.
To cause slight movement or change in position.
The breeze stirred the leaves on the ground.
To awaken or rouse from sleep, inactivity, or apathy.
The noise outside stirred him from his deep sleep.
To provoke or evoke a feeling or reaction.
The movie stirred emotions in the audience.
To set in motion; to initiate activity or movement.
The leader's speech stirred the crowd into action.
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To disturb or agitate mentally or emotionally.
The letter from her old friend stirred up old memories.
To move one’s body or part of it slightly.
She didn't stir from her seat during the entire lecture.
To go or move somewhere in a casual or leisurely way.
On Sundays, we like to stir out for a gentle walk in the park.
To cause to become active or less stagnant.
The new policy stirred a lot of discussion among the employees.
To cause a slight physical movement in something.
The wind stirred the curtains in the open window.
To pass an implement through (a liquid, for example), usually in circular motions, so as to mix or cool the contents
Stirred the soup before tasting it.
To use an implement to move or rearrange the fuel in (a fire) to increase light or heat.
To add or mix in (an ingredient, for example) into a liquid or mixture by moving an implement
Stirred a cup of sugar into the cake batter.
To mix together the ingredients of (a liquid, for example) before cooking or use by moving an implement
Stirred up some popover batter.
Stirred the paint.
To move or pass (an implement) through a liquid in order to mix or cool the contents
Stirred her spoon in her coffee.
To cause to move or shift, especially slightly or with irregular motion
A breeze stirred the branches.
To cause to become active; bestir
Stirred themselves to fix breakfast.
To excite strong feelings in or rouse, as from indifference
The speaker stirred us to volunteer at the homeless shelter.
To provoke deliberately; incite. Often used with up
Stir up trouble.
To change position slightly
The leaves were stirring in the breeze.
To start to move, especially in rising from sleep
The house was quiet, as no one had stirred yet.
To move about actively or busily
People were stirring about the office.
To move away from a customary or usual place or position
Instructed the guards not to stir from their posts.
To stir or mix a liquid or mixture
Stood at the counter stirring.
To be capable of being stirred
A mixture that stirs easily.
To happen or begin
When the civil rights movement first stirred.
To be roused or affected by strong feelings
"His wrath so stirred within him, that he could have struck him dead" (Charles Dickens).
A stirring, mixing, or poking movement
Gave the fire a stir.
A slight movement
Slept soundly and barely made a stir.
An excited reaction or commotion
The news caused quite a stir in our family.
Prison.
(transitive) To disturb the relative position of the particles of (a liquid or similar) by passing an object through it.
She stirred the pudding with a spoon.
He stirred his coffee so the sugar wouldn't stay at the bottom.
(transitive) To disturb the content of (a container) by passing an object through it.
Would you please stir this pot so that the chocolate doesn't burn?
(transitive) To incite to action.
(transitive) To bring into debate; to agitate.
To disturb, to disrupt.
To change the place of in any manner; to move.
(intransitive) To begin to move, especially gently, from a still or unmoving position.
(intransitive) Of a feeling or emotion: to rise, begin to be felt.
(intransitive) To be in motion; to be active or bustling; to exert or busy oneself.
(intransitive) To rise from sleep or unconsciousness.
The act or result of stirring (moving around the particles of a liquid etc.)
Can you give the soup a little stir?
Agitation; tumult; bustle; noise or various movements.
Public disturbance or commotion; tumultuous disorder; seditious uproar.
Agitation of thoughts; conflicting passions.
(slang) Jail; prison.
He's going to be spending maybe ten years in stir.
To change the place of in any manner; to move.
My foot I had never yet in five days been able to stir.
To disturb the relative position of the particles of, as of a liquid, by passing something through it; to agitate; as, to stir a pudding with a spoon.
My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred.
To bring into debate; to agitate; to moot.
Stir not questions of jurisdiction.
To incite to action; to arouse; to instigate; to prompt; to excite.
An Ate, stirring him to blood and strife.
And for her sake some mutiny will stir.
To move; to change one's position.
I had not power to stir or strive,But felt that I was still alive.
To be in motion; to be active or bustling; to exert or busy one's self.
All are not fit with them to stir and toil.
The friends of the unfortunate exile, far from resenting his unjust suspicions, were stirring anxiously in his behalf.
To become the object of notice; to be on foot.
They fancy they have a right to talk freely upon everything that stirs or appears.
To rise, or be up, in the morning.
The act or result of stirring; agitation; tumult; bustle; noise or various movements.
Why all these words, this clamor, and this stir?
Consider, after so much stir about genus and species, how few words we have yet settled definitions of.
Public disturbance or commotion; tumultuous disorder; seditious uproar.
Being advertised of some stirs raised by his unnatural sons in England.
Agitation of thoughts; conflicting passions.
A disorderly outburst or tumult;
They were amazed by the furious disturbance they had caused
Emotional agitation and excitement
A rapid bustling commotion
Move an implement through with a circular motion;
Stir the soup
Stir my drink
Move very slightly;
He shifted in his seat
Stir feelings in;
Stimulate my appetite
Excite the audience
Stir emotions
Stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of;
These stories shook the community
The civil war shook the country
Affect emotionally;
A stirring movie
I was touched by your kind letter of sympathy
Evoke or call forth, with or as if by magic;
Raise the specter of unemployment
He conjured wild birds in the air
Stir a disturbance
Call down the spirits from the mountain
To begin moving,
As the thunder started the sleeping children began to stir
Mix or add by stirring;
Stir nuts into the dough
Stir Snonyms
Rouse
To wake or provoke into action.
The alarm roused her from sleep.
Awaken
To emerge or cause to emerge from sleep; to stir.
The sunrise awakens the city each morning.
Provoke
To stimulate or give rise to a reaction or emotion.
The unfair decision provoked outrage among the fans.
Excite
To cause someone to feel enthusiastic or eager.
The thought of traveling again excites me.
Disturb
To interrupt the quiet, rest, peace, or order of; unsettle.
Please do not disturb the sediment at the bottom of the tank.
Mix
To combine or blend into one mass or mixture.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly before baking.
Shake
To cause to move from side to side or up and down with jerky movements.
Shake the bottle well before use.
Agitate
To move or stir with force and rapid movement.
Agitate the washing solution to remove stains.
Move
To change place or position.
He moved the chair to the other side of the room.
Whisk
To beat or stir with a light, rapid movement.
Whisk the eggs until they are frothy.
Stir Idioms & Phrases
Stir one’s stumps" (British, informal)
To begin moving or hurry up.
We need to stir our stumps if we're going to make it on time.
Stir up a hornet's nest
To cause a lot of trouble or anger.
By questioning the decision, she stirred up a hornet's nest.
Don't stir until the dust settles
Wait until things are calmer before taking action.
Let's not stir until the dust settles on this issue.
A stir of emotions
A range of emotional responses.
The speech caused a stir of emotions among the audience.
Stir from slumber
To wake up from sleep.
The entire house stirred from slumber at the sound of the alarm.
Stir the soul
To evoke a deep emotional response.
The symphony was so beautiful, it stirred the soul.
Stir into action
To motivate or prompt to begin doing something.
The crisis stirred the government into action.
Stir the pot
To cause trouble or controversy.
He likes to stir the pot by bringing up divisive topics at meetings.
Stir the blood
To cause excitement or passion.
Tales of adventure always stir the blood.
Stir the imagination
To excite creative thoughts or ideas.
The ancient ruins are sure to stir the imagination.
Stir Example Sentences
The slightest sound could stir the baby from her sleep.
They watched the birds stir at the first light of dawn.
She tried not to stir the water as she swam, keeping her movements smooth.
The speech was intended to stir the audience to take action on environmental issues.
It's hard not to stir old feelings when you revisit your hometown.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called stir?
"Stir" comes from the Middle English word "stiren" or "styren," which means to move or to cause movement. This reflects the word's association with initiating motion, either physically by moving something or metaphorically by causing a reaction or emotion.
What is a stressed syllable in stir?
Since "stir" has only one syllable, that syllable is stressed: stir.
How many syllables are in stir?
There is one syllable in "stir."
How do we divide stir into syllables?
Stir is not divided into syllables since it is only one syllable long.
What is the pronunciation of stir?
The pronunciation of "stir" is /stɜːr/ in British English and /stɝːr/ in American English.
How is stir used in a sentence?
"Stir" is used to describe the action of moving something, especially in a circular motion, or to cause a slight movement or reaction. e.g., You need to stir the mixture slowly to avoid any lumps.
What part of speech is stir?
"Stir" is a verb when it describes the action of moving or causing movement. It can also function as a noun in contexts that refer to a slight movement or agitation.
What is the verb form of stir?
The verb form of "stir" is "stir," as in "to stir something."
What is the root word of stir?
The root word of "stir" is the Middle English "stiren" or "styren."
What is the first form of stir?
The first form of "stir" is "stir," which is the base form of the verb.
What is the second form of stir?
The second form of "stir" is "stirred," which is the simple past tense.
What is the singular form of stir?
As a verb, "stir" remains the same and does not have a singular or plural form. As a noun, its singular form is "stir."
What is the plural form of stir?
The plural form of "stir" as a noun is "stirs." As a verb, it does not change form for plural subjects.
Is stir an adverb?
No, "stir" is not an adverb.
Is stir a vowel or consonant?
The word "stir" starts with a consonant.
Is the word stir Gerund?
Yes, when "stirring" is used as a noun to describe the action of stirring, it is a gerund.
Which determiner is used with stir?
Determiners such as "the," "a," and possessive pronouns can be used with "stir," depending on the context.
What is the third form of stir?
The third form of "stir" is also "stirred," used as the past participle.
What is another term for stir?
Another term for "stir" is "mix."
Is stir an abstract noun?
As a noun, "stir" is not typically considered abstract since it refers to observable movements or disturbances, although it can imply abstract concepts in figurative uses.
Is stir a countable noun?
As a noun, "stir" can be countable, especially when referring to specific instances or types of movements.
Is the word stir imperative?
Yes, "stir" can be used in the imperative mood as a command. e.g., "Stir the soup every five minutes."
Which vowel is used before stir?
The use of a vowel before "stir" depends on the article or adjective preceding it, not on "stir" itself.
Which preposition is used with stir?
Prepositions commonly used with "stir" include "into," "in," and "from," depending on the context of the sentence.
What is the opposite of stir?
The opposite of "stir" could be "settle" or "still."
Is stir a noun or adjective?
"Stir" can be both a noun, referring to a slight movement or agitation, and a verb, referring to the action of causing movement.
Is stir a collective noun?
No, "stir" is not a collective noun.
Is stir a negative or positive word?
"Stir" is neutral and can be used in both positive and negative contexts depending on its application.
Is the stir term a metaphor?
"Stir" can be used metaphorically to describe causing emotions, thoughts, or reactions.
Is the word “stir” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
In sentences like "She stirred the soup," "the soup" is the direct object of the verb "stir."
Which conjunction is used with stir?
Conjunctions such as "and," "but," and "or" can be used in sentences involving "stir," depending on the sentence structure.
Which article is used with stir?
The article "a" or "the" can be used with "stir," depending on whether it is being used in a specific or general context.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
