as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a political agitator who led an unsuccessful revolt against the government
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Recent Examples of agitator
The footage has sparked concerns among some that external agitators are facilitating riots by equipping crowds for potential clashes with the police or National Guard.
—
Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
It’s become even more ingrained this year with Florida’s aggressive style of play, led by agitators Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 June 2025
What’s important with Harvard, and with all schools, is that Presidents, Senators, experts and agitators more broadly should stay out of their admission decisions.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Standing water can encourage mildew or algae growth and invite mosquitoes, so consider buying some copper cleaning disks or a water agitator to keep the water clean for longer.
—Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for agitator
Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025
It’s become even more ingrained this year with Florida’s aggressive style of play, led by agitators Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 June 2025
What’s important with Harvard, and with all schools, is that Presidents, Senators, experts and agitators more broadly should stay out of their admission decisions.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Standing water can encourage mildew or algae growth and invite mosquitoes, so consider buying some copper cleaning disks or a water agitator to keep the water clean for longer.
—Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for agitator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitator
Noun
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Yemen's Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, have continued to launch attacks in the region despite the truce, including previous drone and missile strikes targeting Israel.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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Young-il manages to separate from the group and betrays the rebels, killing two of them and faking his own death.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Noun
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Longoria has been a longtime supporter of the Democratic Party and endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 election.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
1 July 2025
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Brazilian fans make Charlotte feel like home Fluminense supporters made their presence felt from the opening whistle.—
Shane Connuck
June 30,
Charlotte Observer,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Today, as fears of authoritarianism and political demagogues have been unexpectedly rekindled, certain episodes are again recalled, especially those with political and social themes – which were contained within at least 1/3 of the total produced.—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2025
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Four women have accused the professional kickboxer-turned-internet demagogue of rape, in a historic UK civil suit.—
Sana Noor Haq,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The insult to business found its leader in former FTC chief Lina Khan, a 36-year-old populist firebrand who was an anathema to business and tried to check its every move.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
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Former Trump adviser and conservative firebrand Steve Bannon told the Christian Science Monitor at a breakfast event on Wednesday that Israel can finish its task in Iran without roping in the U.S. military.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
20 June 2025
Noun
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His trajectory in the music industry went from concert promoter and artist manager to entrepreneur who launched Absolute Merch with no funding in 2012.—
Andrea Zarczynski,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Just hours after tickets went on sale Thursday (June 26) for the legendary rock band’s 2025 stadium tour, promoter TEG Van Egmond has announced second dates in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane due to overwhelming demand.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
26 June 2025
Noun
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The legendary rapper was quickly cremated, which his mother was a proponent of, but Knight stated that Pac had different plans for his funeral.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
1 July 2025
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Much like Gen Z, who are proponents of manifesting success, King agrees that there’s power in thinking positively.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Shocks to your sense of emotional security awaken your inner provocateur as Mars and Uranus clash!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
15 June 2025
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But most Republicans remained silent, or accused Padilla of being a provocateur.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Widely viewed as the most powerful of a broad array of insurgent groups active in northern Syria, HTS withstood regular attacks by the Syrian military, ultimately turning the tide last December.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
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Trump's desire to back insurgents also could be slowed by his close working relationship with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who has encouraged Trump to get behind his members.—
Alex Isenstadt,
Axios,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitator. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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