stirs (up)

verb

present tense third-person singular of stir (up)
as in provokes
to bring something (volatile or intense) into being couldn't stir up any interest in a Saturday morning outing to the art museum

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stirs (up)
  1. provokes
  2. raises
Verb
  • In deceptively plain diction, the hurdle of one love relationship provokes an exploration of desire and belonging.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The development provokes a leadership shake-up on both committees, prompting speculation on who will fill the spots when the next Congress opens in January.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of provokes
Verb
  • India’s voter list dispute raises election fairness concerns The protests center on India’s Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision, which the opposition says has disenfranchised millions of eligible voters.
    — Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Our hands-on preview at Gamescom 2026 also confirmed the protagonist isn’t Amanda Ripley, which instantly raises a number of questions.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of raises
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.

Browse Nearby Words

stirs
stirs (up)
stir (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Stirs (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stirs%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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