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

Where some of her peers were agitating for new ideological thinking inside the Party, Stevens was something closer to an earnest moderate. — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026 But hell hath no fury like a Latino voter scorned and all this intimidation, in addition to a lack of follow-through on promises by Republican lawmakers since 2024, might have a boomerang effect by agitating Latinos into action. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitating

Adjective

Some Republicans, notably including Vice President JD Vance, have directly blamed their midterm losses on the Iran war, which continues to see intermittent fighting amid an uneasy stalemate.

— Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the musical explores family, artistic ambition and the uneasy passage of cultural knowledge from one generation to the next.

— James C. Taylor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of uneasy

Verb

Cover, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026
ToruńCAMERIMAGE 2026 is taking a pluralistic approach to the subject by giving AI advocates and opponents equal time, and the programming appears more interested in stirring the pot and sparking discussion than taking a firm position.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of stirring

Verb

The Catholic headquarters revealed that the two figures had linked up by sharing a photo on Instagram of them shaking hands.

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2026
Candidates make final push during last-minute campaigning Hochul spent Monday in New York City, shaking hands, taking selfies and even bowling a strike at a campaign rally in Brooklyn.

— Elijah Westbrook, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of shaking

Verb

There were great memes about what this could mean for the country—largely, the comeback of woke—and some fashion moments worth discussing.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026
Wash didn’t shy away from discussing how to ensure their defensive linemen spring to the backfield.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of discussing

Verb

Questions are still swirling after a Sacramento steakhouse suddenly closed its doors, with a lawsuit from employees in tow.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 10 Nov. 2026
That one image—blue oceans swirling with white clouds, landmasses without borders—reshaped the cultural imagination.

— Andrew Zuckerman, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of swirling

Verb

As is the case in its sister hotel Villa la Coste, a dizzying array of frequently changing contemporary artworks are displayed to distracting effect throughout.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
His clothes and equipment, while full of detail, also aren’t festooned with distracting elements.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026