as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
no more agitating waits to find out sports scores—get them instantly online!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in bothering
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
there's no need to agitate the patient about little things
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agitating
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Washing machines take care of that with their tumbling or agitating action.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
What Elliott did not know in 2024, Kapur says, is that his team had already begun working on the breakup the investor was agitating for.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
That was usually Andy agitating.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026
Fry, gently agitating fritters to ensure even browning until golden brown, puffed, and cooked through (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean), 3 to 4 minutes.
—Emily Teel, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2026
At this point, those agitating against the merger might see their most realistic option being to lobby for conditions on the merger, such as job-protection guarantees or production minimums.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 May 2026
For years, Mira has been agitating for more independence.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
And Anderson is said to be behaving impeccably in not agitating for a move.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
After that, the day shift starts agitating for a pizza party.
—Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Washing machines take care of that with their tumbling or agitating action.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
What Elliott did not know in 2024, Kapur says, is that his team had already begun working on the breakup the investor was agitating for.
—Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
That was usually Andy agitating.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026
Fry, gently agitating fritters to ensure even browning until golden brown, puffed, and cooked through (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean), 3 to 4 minutes.
—Emily Teel, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2026
At this point, those agitating against the merger might see their most realistic option being to lobby for conditions on the merger, such as job-protection guarantees or production minimums.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 May 2026
For years, Mira has been agitating for more independence.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
And Anderson is said to be behaving impeccably in not agitating for a move.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitating
Adjective
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As the nation gears up to celebrate its 250th birthday, most Americans feel uneasy about their present, and pessimistic about their future, polls show.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
-
Sanders takes an uneasy step, into his wonderful, painful childhood.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Roast until the berries soften and the juices become syrupy, 30-35 minutes, stirring once halfway through.—
Monti Carlo,
AJC.com,
22 June 2026
-
The Zoroastrian high priest responded by stirring a pinch of sugar into the milk without spilling a drop.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Instead, the reviews were largely muted, with analysts not bothering to adjust their revenue estimates for 2027 or 2028, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
-
That appears to be bothering people, as the broadcast noted some pointed conversations among the Spanish team during the hydration break.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Verb
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With a quick and creative offensive attack producing goals in front of stadium-shaking home crowds, the Americans have already won their group and booked their place in the knockout round.—
Jim Vertuno,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2026
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In a major rupture, strong shaking could cause severe damage near the fault and in areas built on soft or water-saturated soils, which can amplify shaking.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Florida has passed legislation restricting schools from discussing topics related to race and gender, books have been banned that mention race and sexuality.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
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Philpot took a trip down memory lane while discussing past seasons of the show, recalling the alternating love-hate relationship between Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder’s Ava Daniels.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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That normalization may be the most disturbing aspect of all.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
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Although the project is unlikely to affect Jackson’s popularity much, some of the revelations uncovered during the investigation are disturbing.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Rumors then began swirling that Wilde and Pugh clashed on set over creative differences.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
17 June 2026
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Some other great ways to use it include thinning it with lemon juice and water for a salad dressing, drizzling it over roasted cauliflower or sweet potato, swirling it into a savory oatmeal, or using it as the base for noodle sauces.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
15 June 2026
Verb
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However, there was a distracting graphical issue where characters and objects would get weird glowy or black artifacts around the edges in close-up shots during battles and cutscenes.—
Jay Peters,
The Verge,
23 June 2026
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People attending the trial would also be prohibited from reacting, gesturing, wearing distracting clothing, or otherwise disrupting proceedings.—
Matthew Davisson,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitating. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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