as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a political agitator who led an unsuccessful revolt against the government
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Recent Examples of agitator
They could be trapped in the door’s rubber seal or under the agitator, for example.
—
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Cabrera is accused of having a cockfighting training ring, a dead rooster in a cage, a rooster agitator (a device used to incite fighting), a gun, rooster vitamins, syringes and medication on his property.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
In a top-load washer, these might have gotten sucked into the agitator or spun out into the front panel of the machine.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
His record as an effective agitator for Black advancement positioned him as a go-to adviser for Chicago politicians who sought his endorsement.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitator
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Cabrera is accused of having a cockfighting training ring, a dead rooster in a cage, a rooster agitator (a device used to incite fighting), a gun, rooster vitamins, syringes and medication on his property.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
In a top-load washer, these might have gotten sucked into the agitator or spun out into the front panel of the machine.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 20 Feb. 2026
His record as an effective agitator for Black advancement positioned him as a go-to adviser for Chicago politicians who sought his endorsement.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitator
Noun
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Daisy is a young rebel, ready to fight viciously for the end of Gilead.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The series emphasizes hope and the power of collective action, providing a nuanced look at both the rebels and the individuals within the Empire, ultimately highlighting the enduring relevance of its themes of oppression and resistance in today’s world.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Opposition politician Nadezhdin, his supporters and other activist groups have filed for permission to hold rallies in dozens of cities on April 12, when Russia marks Cosmonautics Day, honoring the 1961 flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Lopez then appeared to break a bit of news to his supporters.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Leftist demagogues specialize in lose-lose-lose policies.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
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When the populist demagogue Willie Stark orders Burden, journalist turned gumshoe, to dig up dirt on a local judge, Burden demurs; certainly there are no skeletons in the office of the good judge.—
Brenda Wineapple,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But Isaacman has also positioned himself as a visionary firebrand in the space community who is ready for change.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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Many commentators viewed Gaetz as a firebrand who was temperamentally unsuited for that position.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Justice Department and more than three dozen state attorneys general sued Live Nation in 2024, alleging the US’s largest concert promoter and ticketing service illegally monopolized the market for live events.—
Leah Nylen,
Bloomberg,
9 Apr. 2026
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Universal Pictures International is billed as the promoter of the event on the ticket site.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The proponents of this measure have even admitted unabashedly that this is part of a national effort to divide Coloradoans and drive turnout in the midterm elections.—
Mike Smith,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
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But telecommunications firms might still balk at furnishing the data for fear they might be sued, Section 702 proponents say.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The character of McCrum’s images is also quite different than that of the ones in the fictional Brainrot, whose sleek, sensual images recall the highly polished work of provocateurs like Torbjørn Rødland and Heji Shin.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
13 Apr. 2026
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Once, his Julian Sklar was the bisexual provocateur of the London art scene commanding millions for a single piece.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This long list of accomplishments doesn’t even mention her work with the Raconteurs, her co-writes with Guy fuckin’ Clark, or that one of her records (2013’s Like a Rose) is a stone-cold classic of 2010s insurgent country.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
7 Apr. 2026
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While serving a tour of duty outside the province of Kandahar in Afghanistan in August of 2011, he was ambushed by Taliban insurgents disguised in Afghan National Army uniforms.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitator. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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