stirring

1 of 2

adjective

stir·​ring ˈstər-iŋ How to pronounce stirring (audio)
1
2
: rousing, inspiring
a stirring speech

stirring

2 of 2

noun

: a beginning of motion or activity : movement
often used in plural
the first stirrings of revolution

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
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.
Adjective
For New York to come off such a stirring victory and then lose two straight home games to start the conference finals was shocking. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 May 2025 While Ronning was aboard the Bluefish at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Reagan delivered a stirring speech directed at people living under communism. Jade Tran, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2025
Noun
But there are some stirrings of Republican discontent over Hegseth. Niall Stanage, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025 Butler lost Gordon Hayward to the NBA, but Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard and Brad Stevens were back, and the Bulldogs embarked on a second straight stirring run all the way to the national title game. Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stirring

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stirring was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stirring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stirring. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

stirring

adjective
stir·​ring
ˈstər-iŋ
: moving sense 3, inspiring
a stirring speech

More from Merriam-Webster on stirring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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