stir up

deliberately cause trouble, arguments, or strong feelings

B2

What does "stir sth up" mean?

To stir up something means to deliberately cause a difficult situation or provoke strong, usually negative, feelings in others. The person doing the stirring is typically seen as responsible for creating unnecessary trouble — acting in a way that inflames a situation rather than calming it. You'll often hear this verb in journalism and political commentary, for example when a public figure's words spark widespread anger or division. It can also appear in everyday conversation to describe someone who enjoys causing drama or conflict. Less commonly, it can be used in a more neutral or even nostalgic sense — for instance, a visit to an old place might stir up memories — but the negative, provocative sense is by far the most frequent.

Examples

How to use it

stir up + abstract noun

The most common pattern — the object is nearly always an abstract noun referring to a negative emotion, conflict, or controversy.

The documentary stirred up a huge amount of controversy online.

stir + pronoun + up

When the object is a pronoun or a short informal word like 'things', it must go between the verb and 'up'.

She doesn't really have a point — she's just trying to stir things up.

stir + noun object + up

Short noun objects can also be placed between the verb and particle, especially for emphasis.

The tabloid story stirred old tensions up in a community that had finally moved on.

be stirred up (by + agent)

The passive is natural when the focus is on the emotion or conflict itself rather than who caused it.

A great deal of public anger was stirred up by the company's decision to cut benefits.

stir up + memories / feelings

When the object refers to memories or personal feelings rather than conflict, the tone can be more neutral or reflective.

Going back to her hometown stirred up feelings she hadn't expected.

Common Collocations

controversytroubleangertensionhatredemotions

Common Mistakes

Dropping 'up'

Learners sometimes say 'stir controversy' or 'stir trouble', leaving out 'up'. Without 'up', 'stir' refers to physically mixing something — always include 'up' to express this phrasal verb sense.

✗ His comments stirred a lot of anger at the meeting.
✓ His comments stirred up a lot of anger at the meeting.
Confusing 'stir up' with 'whip up'

'Whip up' suggests rapidly exciting a crowd with energy, often in a positive or intense way. 'Stir up' focuses more on provoking negative emotions or causing trouble — they are not always interchangeable.

✗ The coach whipped up division among the players by favouring certain people.
✓ The coach stirred up division among the players by favouring certain people.
Using a positive or energetic object

'Stir up' almost always collocates with negative or divisive concepts like trouble, anger, tension, or hatred. Using it with objects that suggest enthusiasm or positive excitement sounds unnatural — use 'fire up' in those contexts instead.

✗ The team's win stirred up huge excitement and motivation across the country.
✓ The team's win fired up huge excitement and motivation across the country.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both formal writing (journalism, politics) and informal speech. It almost always carries a negative implication — suggesting the person is causing trouble deliberately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'stir up' always mean something negative?

Almost always, yes. The vast majority of the time, 'stir up' implies that someone is deliberately causing trouble or inflaming negative emotions. There is a slightly more neutral extension where it collocates with 'memories' or 'feelings' (e.g. 'it stirred up old memories'), but even then the tone is often bittersweet rather than purely positive.

What kinds of things can you 'stir up'?

The object is nearly always an abstract noun — things like trouble, controversy, anger, tension, hatred, resentment, fear, or debate. You can also 'stir up memories' or 'stir up the past'. If the object could physically be stirred in a bowl or a pot, you're looking at a different, non-phrasal use of 'stir', not this sense.

Can 'stir up' describe something (not just a person) causing trouble?

Yes — the subject doesn't have to be a person. A news article, a policy announcement, a rumour, or even an event can stir up controversy or anger. For example: 'The new regulations stirred up a lot of resentment among small business owners.'

Is 'stir things up' a fixed expression?

It's not completely fixed, but 'stir things up' is an extremely common pattern that works almost like an intransitive expression — meaning to generally cause trouble or drama without specifying a particular object. It often implies the person enjoys being provocative: 'He's not really upset — he just likes to stir things up.'

Can I use 'stir up' in formal writing, like a news article or essay?

Yes, 'stir up' is perfectly acceptable in journalism, political commentary, and formal essays. It's not slang or particularly informal. You'll regularly see it in newspaper headlines and opinion pieces, especially when describing rhetoric or actions that provoke public anger or division.

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