cause a stir

verb

To cause controversy, or raise a disturbance.

“The news story caused a stir.”

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Meanings

verbcause a stir (third-person singular simple present causes a stir, present participle causing a stir, simple past and past participle caused a stir)

present singular third person causes a stir · participle present causing a stir · participle past caused a stir · past caused a stir

  1. intransitiveTo cause controversy, or raise a disturbance.

    The news story caused a stir.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
ruffle some feathers

Translations

Catalan aixecar polseguera, alçar polseguera
  • aixecar polsegueracause controversy
  • alçar polsegueracause controversy
Chinese Mandarin 引起轟動 /引起轰动
  • 引起轟動 /引起轰动 (yǐnqǐ hōngdòng)cause controversy
Finnish aiheuttaa hämmennystä, aiheuttaa häiriötä
  • aiheuttaa hämmennystäcause controversy
  • aiheuttaa häiriötäcause controversy
Polish wywoływać poruszenie, wywołać poruszenie
  • wywoływać poruszeniecause controversy
  • wywołać poruszeniecause controversy
Portuguese gerar comoção (uma), causar comoção (uma)
  • gerar comoção (uma)cause controversy
  • causar comoção (uma)cause controversy
  • fazer correr muita tintacause controversy
  • dar que falarcause controversy
Spanish causar revuelo, dar la campanada
  • causar revuelocause controversy
  • dar la campanadacause controversy
Cite this entry
APA

cause a stir. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cause%20a%20stir

MLA

“cause a stir.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cause%20a%20stir. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cause a stir,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cause%20a%20stir.

Source: cause a stir on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.