agitate

agitate

verb

Definition of AGITATE

1

to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly <this room could use a ceiling fan to agitate the stuffy air a bit>

Synonyms agitate, churn, swirl, wash, whirl

Related Words beat, paddle, whip, whisk; reel, shake, wheel

2

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy <there's no need to agitate the patient about little things>

Synonyms agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry

Related Words aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex; bedevil, haunt, plague; abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve

Near Antonyms allay, alleviate, assuage; appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

Antonyms calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

3

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 agitate, bucket, convulse, jerk, jiggle, joggle, jolt, jounce, judder [chiefly British], quake, quiver, shudder, vibrate, wobble (also wabble)

Related Words rock, sway, swing; chatter, quaver, shiver, thrill, tremble; twitch; dodder, waver; flicker, fluctuate, flutter, oscillate, undulate, wave; beat, palpitate, pit-a-pat, pitter-patter, pulsate, pulse, throb

4

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 agitate, argue, bandy, bat (around or back and forth), canvass (also canvas), debate, dispute, hash (over or out), moot, talk over

Related Words review, speak (about), talk (about); broach, introduce, propound, raise, stir up; forge, hammer out, talk out, thrash (out), wrestle (with); chew over, consider, deliberate, weigh