agitate
verb
ag·i·tate ˈa-jə-ˌtāt 
agitated; agitating
transitive verb
1
: to excite and often trouble the mind or feelings of : disturb
My presence did not appear to agitate or irritate him as before, and he accepted my services quietly …
Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë2
a
: to discuss excitedly and earnestly
b
: to stir up public discussion of
… trying to agitate the old question of the embezzlement of the remains of the Confederate Treasury. Robert Penn Warren
Robert Penn Warren3
a
obsolete : to give motion to
b
: to move with an irregular, rapid, or violent action
The storm agitated the sea.
intransitive verb
: to attempt to arouse public feeling
agitated for better schools
Synonyms
- churn
- stir
- swirl
- wash
- whirl
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
If I talk about the problem with him it just agitates him even more. Some members of the union have been agitating for a strike. A few local residents have been agitating against a military presence. The mixture is heated and then agitated.
Recent Examples on the Web Spray the mixture onto the furniture surface and agitate the area with a nylon-bristle brush ($10, Amazon), then rinse thoroughly with water. Alicia Chilton, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2022 Then, use your hands to agitate the rug so that the water and detergent can penetrate its fibers and dislodge dirt and grime. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2022 Dunk and agitate the pack, squeezing the straps and back panel foam again to get the soap out. Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 17 July 2021 Samia Jabloun banded together with other mothers of missing sons to try to agitate for help. David Mckenzie, CNN, 22 July 2022 Stir minimally, to combine ingredients but to agitate the bubbles as little as possible. Jason O'bryan, Robb Report, 25 June 2022 Dust a tiny bit of salt and sugar over the vegetables and use a gloved hand to agitate the mixture. Aly Walansky, Forbes, 25 June 2022 Then, use your hands to agitate the item so that the solution can penetrate its fibers. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 June 2022 Guided by this principle, Chéreau, the legendary French director who died in 2013, used his stage work and films to agitate, wrestle and contend with the mystical relationship between actors and their characters. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2022 See More
Alicia Chilton, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2022 Then, use your hands to agitate the rug so that the water and detergent can penetrate its fibers and dislodge dirt and grime. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2022 Dunk and agitate the pack, squeezing the straps and back panel foam again to get the soap out. Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 17 July 2021 Samia Jabloun banded together with other mothers of missing sons to try to agitate for help. David Mckenzie, CNN, 22 July 2022 Stir minimally, to combine ingredients but to agitate the bubbles as little as possible. Jason O'bryan, Robb Report, 25 June 2022 Dust a tiny bit of salt and sugar over the vegetables and use a gloved hand to agitate the mixture. Aly Walansky, Forbes, 25 June 2022 Then, use your hands to agitate the item so that the solution can penetrate its fibers. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 June 2022 Guided by this principle, Chéreau, the legendary French director who died in 2013, used his stage work and films to agitate, wrestle and contend with the mystical relationship between actors and their characters. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English agitat "set in motion," borrowed from Latin agitātus, past participle of agitāre "to set in motion, drive before one, arouse, disturb, deal with, turn over in the mind," frequentative of agere "to drive, be in motion, do, perform" — more at agent
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
agitate
verb
ag·i·tate ˈa-jə-ˌtāt
agitated; agitating
1
: to move or stir up
The water was agitated by wind.
2
: to disturb, excite, or anger
She was agitated by the bad news.
3
: to try to stir up public feeling
agitate for change
agitates
verb
1
as in stirs
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly this room could use a ceiling fan to agitate the stuffy air a bit Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stirs
- swirls
- washes
- churns
- whirls
- shakes
- whisks
- whips
- beats
- paddles
- reels
- wheels
2
as in disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy there's no need to agitate the patient about little things Synonyms & Similar Words
- disturbs
- bothers
- distracts
- angers
- concerns
- unsettles
- alarms
- worries
- annoys
- irritates
- distresses
- upsets
- perturbs
- disquiets
- haunts
- confuses
- unhinges
- plagues
- derails
- dismays
- rattles
- undoes
- embarrasses
- aggravates
- ails
- fusses
- exasperates
- distempers
- discomforts
- frazzles
- riles
- discomposes
- harasses
- exercises
- irks
- vexes
- flurries
- discourages
- pesters
- chafes
- harries
- flusters
- piques
- alarums
- bedevils
- weirds out
- disconcerts
- grates
- gets
- mortifies
- confounds
- bugs
- freaks (out)
- discomfits
- hagrides
- unnerves
- peeves
- demoralizes
- disheartens
- nettles
- frets
- galls
- puts off
- puts out
- daunts
- fazes
- jars
- discountenances
- chivvies
- abashes
- chivies
- shakes up
- dispirits
- nonpluses
- nonplusses
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- calms
- soothes
- quiets
- settles
- composes
- alleviates
- allays
- assuages
- tranquilizes
- pacifies
- appeases
- placates
- mollifies
- conciliates
- tranquillizes
- propitiates
3
as in shakes
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements set the washing machine so it will agitate for four minutes before going into the rinse cycle Synonyms & Similar Words
- shakes
- vibrates
- shudders
- jerks
- trembles
- quivers
- convulses
- sways
- shivers
- jiggles
- wobbles
- jolts
- twitches
- joggles
- judders
- throbs
- flickers
- buckets
- quakes
- swings
- wabbles
- flutters
- rocks
- waves
- jounces
- chatters
- oscillates
- pulsates
- wavers
- fluctuates
- thrills
- undulates
- palpitates
- pulses
- quavers
- dodders
- beats
- pitter-patters
- pit-a-pats
4
as in discusses
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion a question which has been agitated by the legislature time and time again Synonyms & Similar Words
- discusses
- debates
- argues
- disputes
- raises
- bandies
- reviews
- talks over
- considers
- moots
- canvasses
- propounds
- canvases
- introduces
- weighs
- deliberates
- hashes (over or out)
- broaches
- forges
- bats (around or back and forth)
- stirs up
- hammers out
- talks out
- chews over
- speaks (about)
- talks (about)
- thrashes (out)
- wrestles (with)