as in rebels
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 agitators
Christian women wishing to reunite their families without calling for Hitler’s demise, or the release of all Jews, were harder for the regime to portray as political enemies or criminal agitators.
—
Danielle Wirsansky, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
Both largely blamed outside agitators, noting that conservative influencers urged people to attend the meeting and several of the speakers came from surrounding towns.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
This, in my view, would have kept these agitators away from ICE agents, and almost certainly would have prevented both deaths.
—Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Training often involves role-players who pretend to be protesters or even agitators.
—Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
Homan defended the work of ICE and Border Patrol, pointing to a decrease in agitators and cooperation from local officials as helping the administration reach success.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 13 Feb. 2026
Sanders, who turned 84 in September, seems to have earned immunity from the party’s anti-gerontocratic agitators.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
First, there is the growing volume of anti-Wikipedia sentiment from right-wing agitators.
—Imogen West-Knights, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Garvey is just one of hundreds of anti-government operatives training agitators to interfere with federal law enforcement.
—Asra Q. Nomani , Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Danielle Wirsansky, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
Both largely blamed outside agitators, noting that conservative influencers urged people to attend the meeting and several of the speakers came from surrounding towns.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
This, in my view, would have kept these agitators away from ICE agents, and almost certainly would have prevented both deaths.
—Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Training often involves role-players who pretend to be protesters or even agitators.
—Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
Homan defended the work of ICE and Border Patrol, pointing to a decrease in agitators and cooperation from local officials as helping the administration reach success.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 13 Feb. 2026
Sanders, who turned 84 in September, seems to have earned immunity from the party’s anti-gerontocratic agitators.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
First, there is the growing volume of anti-Wikipedia sentiment from right-wing agitators.
—Imogen West-Knights, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Garvey is just one of hundreds of anti-government operatives training agitators to interfere with federal law enforcement.
—Asra Q. Nomani , Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitators
Noun
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The rebels also fired drones at Israel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
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The choice was hailed by the president of Azerbaijan and the leader of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, among other allies.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That kind of chaos could easily spill over Iran’s borders, and not just by land; the Persian Gulf is narrow, and would not pose much of an obstacle to terrorists or insurgents who cross it in speedboats.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
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Paxton will counter that Texas runoffs often reward insurgents.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Somaliland’s supporters in Washington view the territory as a potential security ally, with recognition potentially allowing US intelligence to monitor weapons flows, Houthi activity in Yemen, and China’s growing footprint, including Beijing’s military base in neighboring Djibouti.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
20 Mar. 2026
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If there have been too many mini-resets for the comfort of the supporters, a strength of Howe’s Newcastle has been absorbing lessons and responding, at least some of the time.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lost in all the heated rhetoric is the fact that so much of this turmoil would have been avoided if federal detainers were simply honored within local jails and state prisons — away from the public and professional provocateurs who are drawn to uncivil cultural conflict like bees to honey.—
Bob Ehrlich,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
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The pair of social media provocateurs post their bizarre arguments and interactions with everyday New Yorkers, which usually end with them being chased down the street and out of bodegas and residential buildings.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The trade association represents more than 1,400 independent venues, festivals, promoters and presenters across the country.—
Gabriella Fine,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
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Two years later, promoters marketed confusing credits such as the Employee Retention Credit to businesses that did not qualify, collecting fees to file improper claims.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Most apps have questions requesting users’ ages, and some use specialized identification technology, but proponents say children are getting around these barriers.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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Beside the dock lay dozens of canoes owned by the East Bay Regional Park District, which proponents of the new park hope will be utilized more when construction is completed.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Following the outbreak of COVID-19, bias incidents and assaults against Asian Americans soared to alarming heights as demagogues on the streets and in high office inflamed xenophobic fear and animosity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
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In the long term, this failure to address deep social problems contributes to the erosion of people’s trust in governments and institutions, breeding nihilism and an attraction to demagogues who claim to have easy answers.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In 2001, the United States and its allies stormed into Afghanistan, aiming to destroy the Taliban and round up the instigators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.—
Nolan Finley,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
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The instigators were allowed to go beyond peaceful protests to hindering law enforcement from doing their job which escalated with the result of two people tragically losing their lives.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agitators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitators. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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