1
2
as in to disturb
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
there's no need to agitate the patient about little things
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
set the washing machine so it will agitate for four minutes before going into the rinse cycle
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to discuss
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion
a question which has been agitated by the legislature time and time again
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in frenzy
a state of wildly excited activity or emotion
knew immediately, from the horses' agitation, that something terrible was happening
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in anxiety
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
experienced a great deal of agitation over whether she had an appropriate dress for her husband's inauguration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agitate
Jonathan J. Cooper, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
With players agitating for equal treatment and the public asking questions, the NCAA hired a law firm to conduct a gender equity assessment.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Mar. 2025
Dr. Sabooh Mubbashar, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2025
This workshop will cover what causes agitation, and how to assess and manage it.
—Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agitate
Verb
Rank-and-file Democrats are mad at their own leaders and increasingly agitating to replace them.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
With players agitating for equal treatment and the public asking questions, the NCAA hired a law firm to conduct a gender equity assessment.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
That means reducing aggression, agitation, and sleep disturbances.
—Dr. Sabooh Mubbashar, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2025
This workshop will cover what causes agitation, and how to assess and manage it.
—Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitate
Verb
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Leia forms the Resistance Senator Leia Organa discovers a new danger stirring in the galaxy: the First Order.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
25 May 2025
-
Transfer onions to a medium bowl and stir in Worcestershire sauce.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Solar flares can disturb Earth's ionosphere, for instance, briefly disrupting high-frequency radio signals and leading to brief radio blackouts on the daylit side of the planet during the flare event.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
22 May 2025
-
Beaches aren’t typically hotspots for these kinds of fossils unless something is disturbing the seafloor nearby and carrying the remains to shore.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
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In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (R) after a signing ceremony following their bilateral talks at Kumsusan state residence in Pyongyang, on June 19, 2024.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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This isn’t the first time Kotb’s amassed the courage to shake things up.—
Hannah Dylan Pasternak,
SELF,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Chair Powell did not discuss his expectations for monetary policy, except to stress that the path of policy will depend entirely on incoming economic information and what that means for the outlook.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
29 May 2025
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell met with U.S. President Donald Trump today at the White House to discuss the state of the economy.—
Niamh Rowe,
Quartz,
29 May 2025
Noun
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In Game 1 alone, Haliburton hit a game-tying shot at the end of regulation, sending the New York crowd into a stunned frenzy.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 June 2025
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The retailer has faced challenges in holding up its in-person business, despite becoming a mainstay of the meme stock frenzy in 2021.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Trousdale’s songs adroitly address female empowerment, loss, heartbreak, anxiety, mental health and other subjects while striking a winning balance between melancholia and buoyancy.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2025
-
More than 6 million have a parent with both a substance use disorder and significant symptoms of depression, anxiety or both.—
Ty Schepis,
The Conversation,
30 May 2025
Verb
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After years of ‘losing culture,’ can the new-look Chicago Bears turn things around on defense? Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard didn’t bother mincing words.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
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The walk, only his second this month, bothered him.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
Verb
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With an electropop base, an irresistible electric bass groove and enveloping harmonies, the song vibrates between what was and what will no longer be.—
Luisa Calle,
Billboard,
23 May 2025
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The soundtrack is a buffet of rapturous period jazz, some of it silky, some of it vibrating with skittery energy, much like Martial Solal’s score for Breathless itself.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitate. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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