as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a political agitator who led an unsuccessful revolt against the government
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 agitator
Over the past decade, Osees have reinvented themselves as prog-metal warriors, hardcore agitators, and synth-punk freaks, investing each new permutation with the same degree of blitzkrieg aggression.
—
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
18 June 2026
McAvoy got up and immediately headed for the Sabres agitator, delivering a baseball-style swing that connected.
—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt.
—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
The patron saint of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was Fannie Lou Hamer—recalcitrant sharecropper turned agitator and, like the Democratic presidential nominee, a black woman.
—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitator
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
18 June 2026
McAvoy got up and immediately headed for the Sabres agitator, delivering a baseball-style swing that connected.
—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt.
—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
The patron saint of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was Fannie Lou Hamer—recalcitrant sharecropper turned agitator and, like the Democratic presidential nominee, a black woman.
—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitator
Noun
-
Mahamat Idriss Déby, 42, seized power in Chad after his father, Idriss Déby, was killed fighting rebels in 2021, before winning elections in 2024.
-
The group has been responsible for current President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s security and for fighting rebel groups.
Noun
-
Some fans, including Scottish supporter Rory Syme, arrived early and gathered near a shopping center by the stadium while waiting for gates to open.
-
On Election Day, Schlossberg was campaigning out in the rain despite the concerning polls, hearing stories from passersby about their Kennedy encounters over the years and taking selfies with starstruck supporters.
Noun
-
But those standards can be easily stretched by demagogues, and a simple majority on the committee is enough to ban a party, though a panel of nine Supreme Court justices can overturn the decision on appeal.
-
But demeaning our brand through association with vulgar demagogues is a losing strategy.
Noun
-
A lot of the show has a low-to-medium simmer that feels appropriate for an firebrand of 85 whose pilot light is going strong but who isn’t worried about acting like a 30-year-old rocker, either.
-
What began as a harmless project took a turn when Ben Shapiro, the right-wing firebrand, made a reaction video to one of Uncle Pappy’s clips in June 2024, taking his comedic comments at face value.
Noun
-
Under the new alliance, DAZN can curate matches based on its alliances with top boxing promoters, including Top Rank, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, and Queensberry Promotions.
-
Venue and promoter newsletters are some of the most reliable presale sources, according to Seat Insiders.
Noun
-
This year, as a hopeful reality competition host nominee and proponent of Top Chef earning another reality competition series nom, Kish finds herself in a unique position as a participant on season four of fellow Emmys juggernaut The Traitors.
-
David DaCosta, of the 18-acre Ace*Mission Studios, is among those pushing for what’s known as a Business Improvement District, or BID, in the area that proponents refer to as the Boyle Heights Industrial Flats, which runs adjacent to the river.
Noun
-
Objection’s Founder and CEO is Aron D’Souza, an Australian entrepreneur and provocateur best known as the mastermind behind Thiel’s litigation strategy against Gawker, which involved a patient, extensive search for the ideal proxy plaintiff to sink the online news outlet.
-
Wilde’s character, who is a boundary-pushing artist and provocateur, pairs the intimates with a matching swipe of red lipstick, black liquid eyeliner, and a black leather belt and skirt.
Noun
-
But what local powers must be surrendered to the insurgent American collectivity?
-
The province has been the center of a long-running separatist insurgency, with insurgents demanding independence or greater control over local resources.
Cite this Entry
“Agitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitator. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
