to move or force into violent, irregular action: The hurricane winds agitated the sea.
to shake or move briskly: The machine agitated the mixture.
to move to and fro; impart regular motion to.
to disturb or excite emotionally; arouse; perturb: a crowd agitated to a frenzy by impassioned oratory; a man agitated by disquieting news.
to call attention to by speech or writing; discuss; debate: to agitate the question.
to consider on all sides; revolve in the mind; plan.
verb (used without object),ag·i·tat·ed,ag·i·tat·ing.
to arouse or attempt to arouse public interest and support, as in some political or social cause or theory: to agitate for the repeal of a tax.
Origin of agitate
1580–90; <Latin agitātus (past participle of agitāre to set in motion), equivalent to ag- (root of agere to drive) + -it- frequentative suffix + -ātus-ate1
SYNONYMS FOR agitate
1 disturb, toss.
3 wave.
4 ruffle, fluster, roil.
5 dispute.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR agitate ON THESAURUS.COM
ANTONYMS FOR agitate
1 calm, soothe.
SEE ANTONYMS FOR agitate ON THESAURUS.COM
OTHER WORDS FROM agitate
ag·i·ta·ble[aj-i-tuh-buhl], /ˈædʒ ɪ tə bəl/, adjectiveag·i·ta·tive,adjectiveo·ver·ag·i·tate,verb (used with object),o·ver·ag·i·tat·ed,o·ver·ag·i·tat·ing.pre·ag·i·tate,verb (used with object),pre·ag·i·tat·ed,pre·ag·i·tat·ing.
California-based Lost Spirits uses a chemical reactor, while Ohio-based Cleveland Whiskey places its spirits in tanks together with barrel wood, then agitates the mixture and applies pressure.
A Nespresso Machine for Whiskey|Daniel Malloy|October 9, 2020|Ozy
At the same time, TV ad buyers are growing agitated by linear TV’s supply and demand dynamic.
‘This was the zeitgeist year’: How TV networks sold advertisers on streaming in this year’s upfront|Tim Peterson|September 30, 2020|Digiday
Voters’ short-term memory is why we’re seeing Democrats agitating to take action.
Why House Democrats have good reason to be anxious about no coronavirus relief deal|Amber Phillips|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
By that night, protesters and demonstrators gathered to express their outrage, and were further agitated as police pepper-sprayed them.
Kenosha’s looting is a symptom of a decrepit democracy|Aaron Ross Coleman|September 4, 2020|Vox
That’s been true for YouTube stars who have agitated against its content-recommendation and advertising algorithms as well as Vine stars who saw Twitter allow that platform to wither away.
‘There is a battle going on’: TikTok-Instagram rivalry for creators heating up|Tim Peterson|August 3, 2020|Digiday
He is always calling on “we,” “the population,” or “the people” to rally in the streets and agitate for a better future.
Noam Chomsky—Infuriating and Necessary|David Masciotra|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Zamora was handsome, passionate, and used his time on The Real World to educate and agitate.
Pedro Zamora, a Hero in the Real World|Tim Teeman|June 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Their leaders said some 20,000 people turned out to agitate in the Russian capital; officials put the number lower, around 8,000.
Neo-Nationalist Violence Targets Central Asians In Russia|Anna Nemtsova|November 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When they are out of power Republicans agitate to cut taxes and oppose tax increases.
Fiscal Cliff Vote Fails Due to Republican Theology on Taxes|Daniel Gross|December 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST
An American first lady was embracing a brand known for its willingness to push boundaries, to agitate, and even to offend.
Michelle Obama in Alexander McQueen: Lady in Red|Robin Givhan|January 19, 2011|DAILY BEAST
So, for example, he began to agitate in 1904 against the vast territorial possessions of the Church in Croatia.
The Birth of Yugoslavia, Volume 2|Henry Baerlein
Whether it is of any legal effect beyond the actual limits of our military lines, is a question that need not agitate us.
The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864|Various
Let us forget the idle wranglings of the hour, and compose our minds to the great subjects which agitate eternity.
Cape Cod Folks|Sarah P. McLean Greene
Passion—The doubt and the fear—the caprice and the change, which agitate the surface, swell also the tides of passion.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction|Various
A wheel serves to agitate the liquid continually; its paddles being kept at two inches distance from the sides of the cistern.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines|Andrew Ure
British Dictionary definitions for agitate
agitate
/ (ˈædʒɪˌteɪt) /
verb
(tr)to excite, disturb, or trouble (a person, the mind, or feelings); worry
(tr)to cause to move vigorously; shake, stir, or disturb
(intr; often foll by for or against)to attempt to stir up public opinion for or against something
(tr)to discuss or debate in order to draw attention to or gain support for (a cause, etc)to agitate a political cause
Derived forms of agitate
agitated, adjectiveagitatedly, adverb
Word Origin for agitate
C16: from Latin agitātus, from agitāre to move to and fro, set into motion, from agere to act, do