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
Longtime forward Claude Lemieux, one of hockey’s fiercest competitors and greatest agitators during a memorable 21-year NHL career that included four Stanley Cup championships and a one-year stint in the San Jose Sharks organization, died unexpectedly on Thursday.
—
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Asked about Valdez, Bis said law enforcement deployed chemical irritants including pepper balls, but not rubber bullets, after agitators attempted to breach the perimeter at Glass House Farms.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
But the night’s main draw was the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, the far-right agitator who hopes to wrest a Senate seat away from the incumbent, John Cornyn.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Instead of removing the anti-free speech agitators, UNLV police escorted Peer off campus.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitator
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Asked about Valdez, Bis said law enforcement deployed chemical irritants including pepper balls, but not rubber bullets, after agitators attempted to breach the perimeter at Glass House Farms.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
But the night’s main draw was the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, the far-right agitator who hopes to wrest a Senate seat away from the incumbent, John Cornyn.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Instead of removing the anti-free speech agitators, UNLV police escorted Peer off campus.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for agitator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitator
Noun
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Accompanying the violence, both the Naxals and the security forces – including local militia raised to combat the rebels – have been accused of horrific human rights abuses, including abductions, torture and rape.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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The rebels have reported two cases.—
Jean-Yves Kamale,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Several supporters said raising a Pride flag in town would help LGBTQ+ residents feel accepted.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
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Union supporters contend that the thousands of workers — despite different titles and job areas — face similar dis-empowerment in their day-to-day jobs.—
Jaweed Kaleem,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
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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.—
Bernard Avishai,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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But demeaning our brand through association with vulgar demagogues is a losing strategy.—
Alma Hernandez,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Noun
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More screen time is given over to her burgeoning friendship with firebrand suffragette Mary, played by singer Lily Allen in a deliberately anachronistic performance — her forthright speech and manner beamed in directly from the 21st century.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
3 June 2026
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Here’s the liberal firebrand who wants to shake up Sacramento.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Concert promoters, meanwhile, see it as filling an important gap in Southern California’s music venue market.—
Clay Marshall,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Quality Content Influencers aren’t merely promoters but content machines.—
Wyles Daniel
June 4,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2026
Noun
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But for longtime leaders of education organizations and tech proponents, the book has become a problem.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
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Whatever proponents call these statutes, the national effect is the same.—
Yaël Ossowski,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Noun
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Some of it was sought-after — Levinson is a provocateur, and his courting of controversy has earned the series nine Emmy wins and far more nominations.—
Seija Rankin,
HollywoodReporter,
31 May 2026
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The Human Is Staying In The Picture (Mostly) Screenwriter and director Paul Schrader, at nearly 80 years old an unlikely technology provocateur, delivered a talk at AI on the Lot peppered with pot-stirring takes.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
31 May 2026
Noun
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In recent weeks, the race for Los Angeles mayor has been dominated by reality star Spencer Pratt, who, following an expectation-exceeding debate performance, has risen in the polls with an insurgent campaign specializing in producing or promoting brash and direct online videos.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
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Traders on prediction market platform Kalshi think the incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and insurgent former reality TV star Spencer Pratt are most likely to advance to the second round.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitator. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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