1
as in frenzy
a state of wildly excited activity or emotion
knew immediately, from the horses' agitation, that something terrible was happening
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in anxiety
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
experienced a great deal of agitation over whether she had an appropriate dress for her husband's inauguration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agitation
Marcos briefly suspended habeas corpus and blamed his sclerotic economy on the agitations of leftist rebels, students, journalists, and preachers.
—
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Gentle simmering and minimal agitation help preserve their structure.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 27 Jan. 2026
Her union organizing and political agitation didn’t help get her past gatekeepers either.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
There is an appetite on the player’s part for the move, but no agitation.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitation
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Gentle simmering and minimal agitation help preserve their structure.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 27 Jan. 2026
Her union organizing and political agitation didn’t help get her past gatekeepers either.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
There is an appetite on the player’s part for the move, but no agitation.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitation
Noun
-
In these and recent Olympics, athletes have gone viral for amassing pins in the village with varying frenzy.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Given Supermicro’s high-profile role in the AI build-out frenzy, the CFO also needs to have strategic relationships with analysts, investment banks, and market participants.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Tobacco parallels The Los Angeles trial centers on allegations made by a 20-year-old woman, Kaley, and her mother that four social media giants intentionally designed addictive platforms that hooked her as a child and led to mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The lurch from confidence to anxiety has been a key reason Villa have not held their nerve in some supposedly easier fixtures.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Scientists have long suspected that active supermassive black holes can kill their own host galaxies, but new research suggests these cosmic titans are more like serial killers that can extend their murderous rampage across many light-years and destroy neighboring galaxies, too.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Randy Santos, 31, was arrested with a bloody metal bar in his hands shortly after the October 2019 rampage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That puts the fear of God into him.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The Showtime Lakers faced those fears and overcame them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
White terrazzo marble floors with cracks that are certainly well earned by the likes of dancing stilettos, dropped Champagne bottles, and jade macaws thrown in rage.—
Jason Sheeler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Derek had just killed a patient and channeled all his rage into a brutal fight.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Our biggest concern should always be the goal.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Cost-of-living concerns are driving voter preferences, with affordability emerging as a defining issue that could shape the election.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
While many retirees focus on market crashes or poor investment returns as their biggest worry, financial experts warn that the slow, steady rise in the cost of living may actually pose a greater danger — one that can stretch across decades and leave retirees struggling to keep up.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
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Hufnagel addressed those worries, saying that 2026 is focused on optimizing the footprint through sharper assortments and marketing to support full-price sell-through and sustainable long-term growth.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As each skated and waited for their scores to post, the crowd tittered with nervous unease.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitation. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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