Synonyms of stirs

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• swirls
• washes
• shakes
• churns
• whirls
• whisks
• agitates
• whips
• beats
• reels
• wheels
• paddles

2

as in shifts

to change one's position

the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shifts
• moves
• squirms
• twitches
• fidgets
• rouses
• wiggles
• writhes
• locomotes
• tosses
• budges
• wriggles
• jiggles
• fiddles
• squiggles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• freezes
• remains
• stays
• stills
• hangs around
• stabilizes
• tarries
• sticks around

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• provokes
• encourages
• stimulates
• arouses
• inspires
• sparks
• incites
• moves
• excites
• motivates
• instigates
• induces
• piques
• drives
• motives
• triggers
• ignites
• fires (up)
• revs (up)
• impassions
• activates
• galvanizes
• inflames
• energizes
• animates
• kindles
• angers
• quickens
• builds a fire under
• vitalizes
• bothers
• foments
• fans
• sets off
• enrages
• raises
• keys (up)
• ferments
• gets
• upsets
• whips (up)
• pumps up
• abets
• annoys
• teases
• maddens
• aggravates
• irritates
• taunts
• exasperates
• vexes
• jeers
• galls

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calms
• soothes
• subdues
• appeases
• tranquilizes
• placates
• pacifies
• mollifies

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• commotions
• disturbances
• fusses
• clatters
• turmoils
• noises
• roars
• bustles
• storms
• bothers
• whirls
• fun
• clutters
• rackets
• rows
• coils
• blathers
• hurricanes
• uproars
• squalls
• tumults
• furors
• pandemoniums
• furores
• kerfuffles
• alarums and excursions
• ruckuses
• ballyhoos
• zoos
• stews
• williwaws
• bluster
• hubbubs
• foofaraws
• rumpuses
• hurlies
• howls
• pothers
• ructions
• moils
• hullabaloos
• shindys
• splores
• hooplas
• ados
• clamors
• welters
• flurries
• hurly-burlies
• to-dos
• hurry-scurries
• hoo-has
• outcries
• flutters
• bobberies
• upheavals
• hubble-bubbles
• helter-skelters
• cacophonies
• dins
• eruptions
• disorders
• outbursts
• brawls
• dos
• scuffles
• hue and cries
• frays
• outbreaks
• dithers
• fevers
• flare-ups
• lathers
• fracases
• frets
• tizzies
• melees
• hassles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calms
• quiets
• rests
• hushes
• peaces
• tranquilities
• orders
• quietudes

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• moves
• shifts
• stirrings
• movements
• motions
• squirms
• migrations
• relocations
• dislocations
• mobilities
• locomotions
• motivities
• motilities
• fiddlings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stops
• pauses
• finishes
• immobilities
• halts
• inertias
• lapses
• stoppages
• shutdowns
• endings
• terminations
• expirations
• discontinuances
• cessations
• shutoffs
• surceases

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• jails
• prisons
• penitentiaries
• brigs
• pens
• clinks
• holds
• slams
• bastilles
• big houses
• coolers
• jugs
• hocks
• coops
• lockups
• stockades
• quods
• cans
• pokeys
• cages
• bridewells
• calabooses
• nicks
• hoosegows
• tolbooths
• jailhouses
• keeps
• joints
• tanks
• cells
• slammers
• bull pens
• guardrooms
• dungeons
• holes
• wards
• labor camps
• concentration camps
• hulks
• work camps
• prison camps
• blocks
• glasshouses
• guardhouses
• stalags
• gulags
• reform schools
• training schools
• reformatories
• oubliettes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• outsides

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stirs

Verb

Understanding the scope of human suffering and hopelessness in our world stirs a strong internal conflict between empathy and pragmatism. — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 23 Sep. 2026

While science is often perceived as cold and overly logical, for Schroeder its practice stirs a humility and appreciation for the vastness of nature and the depth of time. — Brad Balukjian, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2026

Her arrival stirs enough secrets, crushes, and shifting loyalties to fill an eight-episode TV show. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Perched along Positano’s cliffs, the hotel soothes the soul and stirs the senses. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026

But after two decades in the rearview, Pluto’s demotion still stirs anger and controversy, and many people regard its change in status as a very bad thing. — Mike Brown, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2026

That’s just one example of how Healy has become the straw that stirs the drink for the Huskies. — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

As Koschei the Deathless stirs from millennia-long captivity, powerful allies close in to reclaim the human lands. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

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

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