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
Beliefs and duty clash when the sun confronts Chiron.
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
Efforts to shine in your romantic or creative life may stir up old insecurities.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 19 July 2025
Aster's films inevitably stir up debate, but Eddington's bug-eyed, flame-spitting approach to some of today's most contentious cultural topics is bound to divide audiences.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 18 July 2025
Watch out for communication mishaps in your love life as Mercury retrograde could bring exes back into the picture or worse, stir up misunderstandings in your current relationships.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 17 July 2025
There’s some drama stirring up for these Love Island USA alums.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stir up
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Usa Today, USA Today, 19 July 2025
Aster's films inevitably stir up debate, but Eddington's bug-eyed, flame-spitting approach to some of today's most contentious cultural topics is bound to divide audiences.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 18 July 2025
Watch out for communication mishaps in your love life as Mercury retrograde could bring exes back into the picture or worse, stir up misunderstandings in your current relationships.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 17 July 2025
There’s some drama stirring up for these Love Island USA alums.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 17 July 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 23 Jul. 2025.
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