agitator

noun

ag·​i·​ta·​tor ˈa-jə-ˌtā-tər How to pronounce agitator (audio)
Synonyms of agitatornext
: one that agitates: such as
a
: one who stirs up public feeling on controversial issues
political agitators
b
: a device or an apparatus for stirring or shaking

Examples of agitator in a Sentence

The police arrested several anti-government agitators. a political agitator who led an unsuccessful revolt against the government
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt. Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026 The patron saint of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was Fannie Lou Hamer—recalcitrant sharecropper turned agitator and, like the Democratic presidential nominee, a black woman. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026 Use 2 tablespoons in a standard top-load washer with a center agitator. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 June 2026 In January, a DHS official sent a memo to some federal immigration agents temporarily assigned to Minneapolis instructing them to collect personal information about protesters and agitators, including license plates, identifications and images, according to CNN reporting. Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for agitator

Word History

Etymology

agitate + -or entry 1

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of agitator was in 1663

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Agitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agitator. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

agitator

noun
ag·​i·​ta·​tor ˈaj-ə-ˌtāt-ər How to pronounce agitator (audio)
1
: a person who stirs up public feeling
2
: a device for stirring or shaking

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