stir up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal to neutral. Common in spoken language, journalism, and narrative writing.
Quick answer
What does “stir up” mean?
To cause or provoke a strong emotion, reaction, or situation, often one that is negative or disruptive.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cause or provoke a strong emotion, reaction, or situation, often one that is negative or disruptive.
To mix or agitate a substance; to incite or instigate trouble, conflict, or strong feelings; to deliberately cause unrest or excitement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. 'Stir up' is slightly more common in British English in political/journalistic contexts (e.g., 'stir up a hornet's nest'). American English may use 'stir' alone more frequently in cooking contexts.
Connotations
Consistently negative when referring to trouble/emotions. Neutral in literal cooking/mechanical contexts.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “stir up” in a Sentence
[Someone] stirs up [something abstract: trouble, feeling][Something] stirs up [memories/debate]stir [object] upVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stir up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The article stirred up quite a debate in the letters page.
- He's always trying to stir up trouble at the local council meetings.
- Stir up the custard so it doesn't form lumps.
American English
- That comment really stirred up some anger in the crowd.
- The politician's remarks stirred up old regional rivalries.
- Can you stir up the fire a bit? It's dying down.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used negatively: 'The new policy stirred up discontent among the workforce.'
Academic
Used in history/political science: 'The speech stirred up nationalist sentiments.'
Everyday
Common: 'Don't stir up trouble with your brother.' or 'Stir up the paint before you use it.'
Technical
In chemistry/engineering: 'The machine stirs up the slurry to prevent settling.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stir up”
- Using 'stir up' for positive encouragement (use 'motivate' or 'inspire'). Confusing 'stir up' with 'stir' (just mix). Incorrect word order: 'stir trouble up' is less common than 'stir up trouble'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, but not always. It can be neutral in literal contexts (stir up the mixture). With emotions/situations, it's overwhelmingly negative or at least implies disruptive excitement.
'Stir up' often implies a slower, more gradual, or wider spreading of a reaction (like stirring a liquid). 'Provoke' can be more direct and immediate. 'Stir up' is also more informal.
Yes, it's a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'stir up trouble' or 'stir trouble up', though the first is more common. With pronouns, you must separate: 'stir it up'.
Not directly. You would use related nouns like 'instigation', 'provocation', or 'agitation'. The gerund 'stirring up' functions as a noun phrase: 'His stirring up of old grievances was unhelpful.'
To cause or provoke a strong emotion, reaction, or situation, often one that is negative or disruptive.
Stir up is usually informal to neutral. common in spoken language, journalism, and narrative writing. in register.
Stir up: in British English it is pronounced /stɜːr ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /stɝ ʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stir up a hornet's nest”
- “stir up trouble”
- “stir up old memories/ghosts”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine stirring a pot of soup violently—splashes and mess fly UP. Similarly, stirring up emotions makes messy feelings fly up.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONS/CONFLICT ARE A FLUID (that can be agitated). THOUGHTS/MEMORIES ARE SEDIMENT (at the bottom of a lake that can be stirred up).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'stir up' used CORRECTLY?