1
2
as in to disturb
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 to shake
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 to discuss
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
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
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
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 agitate
Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
Submerge the jacket and gently agitate the water with your hands to loosen dirt.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 22 Apr. 2026
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Bebe remains still and calm while submerged, observing his underwater surroundings without visible signs of agitation.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitate
Verb
Describing this photo, documentary photographer Chantal Pinzi says that Ghita Jhaite's horse was agitated after a confrontation with other stallions that caused the rider to fall.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
Submerge the jacket and gently agitate the water with your hands to loosen dirt.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
The bird appears to observe its underwater surroundings without visible signs of agitation.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Bebe remains still and calm while submerged, observing his underwater surroundings without visible signs of agitation.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitate
Verb
-
February 19 – March 20 A conversation could stir feelings that are older than the topic itself.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
Bring just to a boil over medium, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The Manta Sleep Mask has adjustable eye cups that create a true blackout, so cabin lights and neighboring seatback screens don’t disturb her rest.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
-
Not to mention, harvesting garlic bulbs can disturb the soil quite a bit and interfere with the growth of sage plant roots.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Players were visibly shaken, as were many in the stands, as medical staff from both teams and EMS placed him on a stretcher and carted him off the field.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Rinse under cold water 1 minute, shaking to ensure a thorough rinse.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas did not discuss Mott’s extensive criminal history at a news conference Tuesday morning but noted that investigators were reaching out to his family and those who knew him seeking additional information about his motivations.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
The former UConn All-American logged only 18 minutes off the bench in the team’s season opener at Indiana over the weekend, but Wings coach Jose Fernandez didn’t discuss whether that limited workload was a reflection of issues with a joint that has been surgically repaired twice before.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
While valuations for household-name series IP have come down to earth a bit since the frenzy around Friends, South Park and The Office during the streaming explosion several years ago, The Walking Dead rights will surely fetch several hundred million dollars.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
-
But there's a nostalgic and unexpected appeal to the bustling frenzy of a flea market.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
But the following year, as the pandemic wore on and crime rates ticked up, the politics of criminal justice in the city shifted toward law-and-order anxiety, even as new waves of COVID infection struck the jails.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
War rumbles on Putin, who has ruled Russia as president or prime minister since the last day of 1999, faces a wave of anxiety in Moscow about the war in Ukraine, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, left swathes of Ukraine in ruins, and drained Russia’s $3 trillion economy.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Now the dog is back to bothering her brother and showing off her sassy personality.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
This is a nakedly partisan power grab, and state officials haven’t really bothered to deny it.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Days after the shooting stunned Shreveport, a whirlwind of police lights, camera crews and grieving relatives swarmed the neighborhood where the killings unfolded, the streets vibrating with sirens, the air shrouded in questions and disbelief.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
-
Then the controllers tried vibrating the drill to knock the rock loose and had no luck.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitate. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
