Phrase guide

stir up

verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈstɜː.ɹʌp/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To arouse or excite (passion or action, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: instigate, provoke, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under, send, sting, bring about, cheer, draw, drive, encourage, egg on, engender, evoke, excite, foment, goad, grill, ignite, impel, incite, induce, inflame, invoke, lash, motive, motivate, move, obligate, oblige, push, promote, prompt, rouse, set off, spark off, spur, spur on, stimulate, stir, stir up, stoke, tempt, urge, whet, whip up

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To mix (ingredients) by stirring.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stir, swizzle

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To move or disturb slightly; to make turbid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: agitate, muddle, roil, trouble

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

provoke or stir up

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • incite a riot
  • set off great unrest among the people

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incite, instigate, set off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: provoke, stimulate

Narrower terms: raise

5

verb

Meaning 5

change the arrangement or position of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: agitate, vex, disturb, commove, shake up, raise up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

Narrower terms: beat, scramble, toss, roil, rile, poke

6

verb

Meaning 6

arouse or excite feelings and passions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The ostentatious way of living of the rich ignites the hatred of the poor
  • The refugees' fate stirred up compassion around the world
  • Wake old feelings of hatred

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inflame, wake, ignite, heat, fire up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke

Narrower terms: ferment

7

verb

Meaning 7

try to stir up public opinion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: agitate, foment

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: provoke, stimulate

Narrower terms: rumpus

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

81 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: estimular — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Catalan: excitar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Catalan: incitar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Esperanto: inciti — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Esperanto: bloveksciti — arouse or excite passion or action
  • French: stimuler — arouse or excite passion or action
  • French: inciter — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: ambrar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: enfoutar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: encirrar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: apurrar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: motexar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: estrizar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: isar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: enguizar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: embuxar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Galician: bezar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Ancient Greek: ὀτρῡ́νω (otrū́nō) — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Ancient Greek: ὄρνῡμι (órnūmi) — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Irish: múscail — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Italian: stimolare — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Italian: appassionare — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Italian: convincere — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Latin: percieō — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Latin: suscitō — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Portuguese: incitar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Spanish: levantar pasiones — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Spanish: soliviantar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Spanish: concitar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Spanish: alborotar — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Tamil: தூண்டு (tūṇṭu) — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Ottoman Turkish: دورتمك (dürtmek) — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Ottoman Turkish: كوروكلمك (körüklemek) — arouse or excite passion or action
  • Czech: vyvolat — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Danish: piske op — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Dutch: opstoken — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Estonian: õhutama — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Finnish: lietsoa — to cause (trouble etc)
  • French: faire de l'agitation — to cause (trouble etc)
  • German: entfachen — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Hungarian: felkavar — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Icelandic: koma af stað, stofna til — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Italian: fomentare — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Italian: sobillare — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Italian: incitare — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Latin: suscitō — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Latin: turbō — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Latvian: izraisit — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Latvian: sacelt — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Lithuanian: sukelti — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Lithuanian: sukurstyti — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Norwegian: hisse opp — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Norwegian: egge til opprør — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Polish: wywoływać — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Polish: wzniecać — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Portuguese: fazer agitação — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Portuguese: provocar — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Romanian: a da nastere la — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Slovak: vyvolat — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Slovene: izzvati — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Spanish: despertar — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Spanish: provocar — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Spanish: excitar — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Spanish: fomentar — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Spanish: sacar chaqueta — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Swahili: chochea — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Swedish: ställa till, sätta i gång — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Tamil: மூட்டு (mūṭṭu) — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Tamil: தூண்டு (tūṇṭu) — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Turkish: neden olmak — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Zazaki: poxta — to cause (trouble etc)
  • Bashkir: ҡушып болғау (quşıp bolğaw) — to mix ingredients
  • Bashkir: ҡушып бутау (quşıp butaw) — to mix ingredients
  • French: mélanger — to mix ingredients
  • Māori: whakaranu — to mix ingredients
  • Portuguese: misturar — to mix ingredients
  • Russian: разме́шивать (razméšivatʹ) — to mix ingredients
  • Russian: размеша́ть (razmešátʹ) — to mix ingredients
  • Tamil: கலக்கு (kalakku) — to mix ingredients
  • Māori: tiehu — to make turbid
  • Sikkimese: དཀྲུགས (dkrugs) — to make turbid