1
as in frenzy
a state of wildly excited activity or emotion
knew immediately, from the horses' agitation, that something terrible was happening
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agitation
If bees begin circling or bumping into someone, that can signal agitation.
—
Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Differing opinions may spark agitation today.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Sarma worked closely with leaders of the agitation, including Prafulla Mahanta and Bhrigu Phukan, who both went on to form the Assam People’s Council (Asom Gana Parishad) political party.
—Shabnam Dohutia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Mar. 2026
Plus, the movie is simply too goofy and good-natured for any of its feminist agitation to land.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitation
Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Differing opinions may spark agitation today.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Sarma worked closely with leaders of the agitation, including Prafulla Mahanta and Bhrigu Phukan, who both went on to form the Assam People’s Council (Asom Gana Parishad) political party.
—Shabnam Dohutia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Mar. 2026
Plus, the movie is simply too goofy and good-natured for any of its feminist agitation to land.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitation
Noun
-
There seemed to be an unwarranted frenzy in the speed at which everything was played, as if music were as much a sport as an artistic pursuit.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The Irishman recorded a hole-in-one on the sixth hole at Augusta National on Saturday, putting patrons into a frenzy.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Last year’s Public Service Commission flips were a blaring warning sign in a cycle dominated by voter anxiety over affordability and utility costs.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
For weeks, Hilton and Bianco have led polls while eight prominent Democrats including Swalwell split the support of liberal voters, stoking anxiety among Democrats that the party could end up shut out of the November election.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As previously announced, Michelle Mao will play Yara and Kyriana Kratter will play Lev, siblings whose paths cross with Abby at a pivotal moment, as Ellie begins her revenge rampage in Seattle.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
-
From the first fire to the last, the suspect’s rampage lasted just more than 10 minutes.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nearly a quarter of New Orleans residents live in poverty, and the prospect of a substantial windfall for a few hours’ work apparently outweighed any fear of getting into a car that was about to take part in a high-speed accident.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Esther says Kim had shared her fear of Terry Rose well before her disappearance.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But what do designers think about the resurgence of the heavily curtained look, which was all the rage in the 1980s?—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Uthmeier has also gone out of his way to weaken criminal cases that don’t dovetail with his philosophy, including an Orlando road-rage case where a man was shot to death.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
However, boundaries have not been redrawn since the 1971 census, as successive governments delayed the process over concerns about uneven population growth.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Damaging winds and flooding remain the primary concerns for any storms that can form on Thursday.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Put the worry of blisters behind you once and for all, and step into spring in style with the most comfortable shoes, according to the internet.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2026
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Burritt said the upshot is that his company, as a Nippon subsidiary, is freed from worries about geopolitical uncertainty.—
Cory Schouten,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yet nothing could stop the speculation and growing unease about the future of LIV Golf.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
City’s results have begun to sow unease among Arsenal fans.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitation. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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