: a beginning of motion or activity : movement
—often used in plural
the first stirrings of revolution
Synonyms
Examples of stirring in a Sentence
Adjective
a stirring rendition of the national anthem
the message of brotherhood in Martin Luther King's stirring “I Have a Dream” speech still resonates today
Noun
I thought I detected a slight stirring of the leaves, and yet there wasn't a breath of wind.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
Barrino, who starred as Celie in the film, gave a stirring acceptance speech, thanking God for the opportunity.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 17 Mar. 2024
Aside from that stirring fight song, the band is long remembered in their homeland for an ice-cold moment during the 1998 Brit Awards when drummer Danbert Nobacon tipped a bucket of water on then deputy prime minister John Prescott.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024
Now and throughout its career, The Lone Bellow’s trademark has been its stirring, three-part vocal harmonies, which are inspired as much by classic soul music as by country and bluegrass.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
And Williams’ music, with its sumptuous and stirring signatures, gave the space opera a transcendent power.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
Her stirring performance of the power ballad spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for three Grammy Awards.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
Stepping out barefoot and donning a patchwork jacket dress, Musgraves received an introduction from host Sydney Sweeney before opening with the a stirring rendition of her new project’s title track.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 3 Mar. 2024
Ultimately, Henson's journey serves as a stirring reminder of the transformative potential inherent in self-advocacy and financial empowerment.
—Kalina Bryant, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024
Officials there say that Mr. Modi is trying to hold them back for their refusal to buy in to his brand of politics, including his party’s stirring of Hindu-Muslim tensions and its push to make Hindi — which is not widely spoken in the south — a national language.
—Hari Kumar, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
There’s a reason that risotto, with its demand for attention and constant stirring, often appears on Valentine’s menus.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024
In addition, Arborio rice maintains its integrity during cooking and stirring, and the result is a creamy sauce with al dente grains.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024
The grandiosity of the song’s production — built almost exclusively around Moody’s sultry guitar — evokes the most stirring of James Bond themes, while the duo’s expansive combine vocal ranges trade off fluttery falsettos with robust full-voice crooning.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2024
But there were a few stirrings of hope Thursday, as Canales and Morgan poured forth their vision and threw in the occasional canine analogy.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Feb. 2024
Officials already see stirrings of violence in Europe, where on Monday a man claiming affiliation to Islamic State shot to death two Swedes in Brussels.
—Alan Cullison, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2023
Even the first stirrings of science began as outpourings of religious devotion to the moon.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2024
Adjective
When Lincoln finally rode down Pennsylvania Avenue to accept the presidency and deliver his stirring inaugural address in March 1861, hundreds of plainclothes Wide Awakes filled out the crowds around him, including James Chalker, the Hartford Originals’ fighting captain.
—Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
Barrino, who starred as Celie in the film, gave a stirring acceptance speech, thanking God for the opportunity.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 17 Mar. 2024
Aside from that stirring fight song, the band is long remembered in their homeland for an ice-cold moment during the 1998 Brit Awards when drummer Danbert Nobacon tipped a bucket of water on then deputy prime minister John Prescott.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024
Now and throughout its career, The Lone Bellow’s trademark has been its stirring, three-part vocal harmonies, which are inspired as much by classic soul music as by country and bluegrass.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
And Williams’ music, with its sumptuous and stirring signatures, gave the space opera a transcendent power.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
Her stirring performance of the power ballad spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for three Grammy Awards.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
Stepping out barefoot and donning a patchwork jacket dress, Musgraves received an introduction from host Sydney Sweeney before opening with the a stirring rendition of her new project’s title track.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 3 Mar. 2024
Ultimately, Henson's journey serves as a stirring reminder of the transformative potential inherent in self-advocacy and financial empowerment.
—Kalina Bryant, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
Another question is whether there is an analytical cost when the stirrings of fascism are redefined as nothing at all, or at least as nothing to worry about.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024
Officials there say that Mr. Modi is trying to hold them back for their refusal to buy in to his brand of politics, including his party’s stirring of Hindu-Muslim tensions and its push to make Hindi — which is not widely spoken in the south — a national language.
—Hari Kumar, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
There’s a reason that risotto, with its demand for attention and constant stirring, often appears on Valentine’s menus.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024
In addition, Arborio rice maintains its integrity during cooking and stirring, and the result is a creamy sauce with al dente grains.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024
The grandiosity of the song’s production — built almost exclusively around Moody’s sultry guitar — evokes the most stirring of James Bond themes, while the duo’s expansive combine vocal ranges trade off fluttery falsettos with robust full-voice crooning.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2024
But there were a few stirrings of hope Thursday, as Canales and Morgan poured forth their vision and threw in the occasional canine analogy.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Feb. 2024
Officials already see stirrings of violence in Europe, where on Monday a man claiming affiliation to Islamic State shot to death two Swedes in Brussels.
—Alan Cullison, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2023
Even the first stirrings of science began as outpourings of religious devotion to the moon.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stirring.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near stirring
Cite this Entry
“Stirring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stirring. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
stirring
adjective
stir·ring
ˈstər-iŋ
: moving sense 3, inspiring
a stirring speech
More from Merriam-Webster on stirring
Nglish: Translation of stirring for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of stirring for Arabic Speakers
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