AGITATING Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

agitating 1 of 2

adjective

as in uneasy

marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings no more agitating waits to find out sports scores—get them instantly online!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

agitating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of agitate

as in stirring

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

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as in bothering

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in shaking

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

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as in discussing

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

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of agitating

Verb

But while the calls to resign or step aside have waned, many are still agitating for change. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 By mid-morning, bees continued to fly around as city workers did their best to cut the tree without getting stung or agitating the hives any further. — Ross Guidotti, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 After many decades of organizing, speaking, writing, agitating — and weathering the constant controversy that courted — Steinem kept going. — Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 Continue to cook, agitating eggs and occasionally shaking pan and running spatula underneath to ensure eggs aren’t sticking, until surface of eggs looks somewhat set but still slightly shiny, about 30 seconds more. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Sep. 2026 One of the loudest voices in the cattle world agitating against the border reopening is Bill Bullard, the CEO of R-CALF, a national association of independent cattle and sheep farmers. — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026 Eritreans began agitating for independence in the 1960s, which only happened after decades of war and a regime change in Ethiopia. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Too much precarity, too little success, and too much commitment to naturally-occurring outcomes means that openly agitating for more diversity can be a nonstarter. — Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Instead of budgeting for $1,800 in tissues, the school insists on agitating parents all summer over crap like this. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitating

Adjective

An uneasy quiet took over the boat as customers waited for another catch.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Republican candidates are facing voters uneasy, even angry about high prices and an unpopular war.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of uneasy

Verb

The story centers on two ex-lovers who come back into each other’s lives after spending decades apart, only to find old feelings stirring with messy and mixed results.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over and just cooked through, 3–4 minutes more.

— Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of stirring

Verb

For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
If neck pain keeps coming back or the lines bothering you keep getting deeper, talk with a doctor or dermatologist instead of relying on a gadget alone.

— Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of bothering

Verb

Ellis and other senior leaders have shared their own backgrounds on the bank’s intranet and blog to make others feel more comfortable discussing their upbringing.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Officials are still discussing how the storm might affect the game.

— Will Weissert, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of discussing

Adjective

Even when the metaphor is painfully on the nose, the film’s most disturbing images are more than their dramatic limitations and a whale is still an astonishing place to spend a movie.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
When her aunt Helena and paralyzed grandmother Regina arrive, the fragile boundaries between everyday life, ancestral superstition and Trina’s increasingly disturbing nightmares begin to collapse.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Verb

With these conspiracy theories swirling, some researchers are now seeing the models more as competitors than tools—and the use of them as a betrayal.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
And while there are questions swirling about Akayleb Evans and whether Evans will be replaced by Chau Smith-Wade, one player didn’t get the same scrutiny.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

Maybe his conning can be curtailed someday, but the thought there’d ever be enough distracting chaos for a similarly lengthy follow-up is almost too much to bear.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
The text was crisp and easy to read, the matte display minimized distracting reflections, and the ink paper mode made reading comfortable.

— Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026