agitate

American  

[aj-i-teyt] / ˈædʒ ɪˌteɪt /

verb (used with object)

agitated, agitating

1. to move or force into violent, irregular action.

   The hurricane winds agitated the sea.

   Synonyms:

   toss, disturb

   Antonyms:

   soothe, calm

2. to shake or move briskly.

   The machine agitated the mixture.

3. to move to and fro; impart regular motion to.

   Synonyms:

   wave

4. to disturb or excite emotionally; arouse; perturb.

   a crowd agitated to a frenzy by impassioned oratory; a man agitated by disquieting news.

   Synonyms:

   roil, fluster, ruffle

5. to call attention to by speech or writing; discuss; debate.

   to agitate the question.

   Synonyms:

   dispute

6. to consider on all sides; revolve in the mind; plan.

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verb (used without object)

agitated, agitating

1. 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.

agitate British  

/ ˈædʒɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to excite, disturb, or trouble (a person, the mind, or feelings); worry

2. (tr) to cause to move vigorously; shake, stir, or disturb

3. (intr; often foll by for or against) to attempt to stir up public opinion for or against something

4. (tr) to discuss or debate in order to draw attention to or gain support for (a cause, etc)

   to agitate a political cause

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Usage

What does agitate mean? To agitate someone is to make them feel anxious, bothered, or worried. Someone who feels this way can be described as agitated. Things that make you feel this way can be described as agitating. To agitate something is to shake it up, stir it up, or cause it to move around roughly, as in The storm agitated the water, stirring up huge waves. The noun agitation refers to the act or process of agitating in this way. It also commonly refers to the state or feeling of being agitated, as in There is a lot of agitation among the employees who have not yet been paid. The verb agitate is also used in a more specific way to mean to attempt to promote support or opposition for a political or social cause, especially by repeatedly raising the issue and bringing awareness to it. The act of doing this can be called agitation, and a person who does this can be called an agitator. Example: The cable news channel blaring in the waiting room really agitates me—they really shouldn’t have that around people who are about to get their blood pressure taken.

Other Word Forms

• agitable adjective
• agitated adjective
• agitatedly adverb
• agitative adjective
• overagitate verb (used with object)
• preagitate verb (used with object)
• reagitate verb

Etymology

Origin of agitate

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin agitātus, past participle of agitāre “to set in motion,” literally, “to do repeatedly,” from agere “to do, drive”

Explanation

Agitate means to stir up. If you watch a horror movie at bedtime, you may be too agitated to sleep. Movies like that can agitate all sorts of adrenaline responses in the body. Agitate derives from a Latin word that means "to drive away." The meaning has changed, but you can see where old meets new—a washing machine agitates dirty clothes in warm soapy water to drive away the dirt. You agitate or shake up salad dressing to mix it, driving the oil away into the vinegar.

Example Sentences

They are notorious goons, despised virtually everywhere for their ability to agitate, aggrieve and annoy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

Little things are starting to agitate me every day.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2025

The city also is looking at installing a 6- to 8-foot-tall fence along the river to address complaints that the passing bikers will agitate the dogs.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2023

It appeared to agitate Cannon, who questioned the prosecution about why it was being brought up for the first time at the hearing.

From Salon • Oct. 13, 2023

To agitate him thus deeply, by a resistance he so abhorred, was cruel: to yield was out of the question.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• alarm
• confuse
• disconcert
• distract
• disturb
• excite
• fluster
• incite
• inflame
• perturb
• work up