agitation
noun
ag·i·ta·tion
ˌa-jə-ˈtā-shən 
plural agitations
1
: the act or an instance of agitating something : a moving back and forth or with an irregular, rapid, or violent action
In candy making, this agitation usually consists of working the chocolate back and forth on a marble surface with a large scraper.—
Rose Levy Beranbaum
Rose Levy BeranbaumThe technology is based on the controlled agitation of concentrated ore particles with precisely determined amounts of acid.—Corale L. Brierley
Corale L. Brierley2
: a state or feeling of being agitated and restless
nervous agitation
Holmes was for the moment as startled as I. His hand closed like a vice upon my wrist in his agitation.—Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan DoyleShe sat some time in a good deal of agitation, listening, trembling, and fearing to be sent for every moment …—Jane Austen
: a state of excessive psychomotor activity accompanied by increased tension and irritability
Jane Austen… characterized by prominent agitation, irritability, and delusions …—Oliver Freudenreich et al.
Oliver Freudenreich et al.Propranolol and other beta-blockers suppress physical symptoms of agitation and anxiety by slowing down the sympathetic nervous system.—The Harvard Mental Health Letter
The Harvard Mental Health Letter3
: a persistent and sustained attempt to arouse public feeling or influence public opinion (as by appeals, discussions, or demonstrations)
political agitation
… makes it clear that this assertive attitude of black women was essential during the agitation for civil rights.—Gloria Naylor
Gloria NaylorSynonyms
Examples of agitation in a Sentence
knew immediately, from the horses' agitation, that something terrible was happening
experienced a great deal of agitation over whether she had an appropriate dress for her husband's inauguration
Recent Examples on the Web
The company also expects to start phase three trials in Alzheimer’s agitation, Alzheimer’s cognition and bipolar disorder in 2025, while studies in autism will begin in 2026.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Both make ice cream by introducing freezing cold temperatures and agitation to an ice cream base mixture, but beyond that the two operate quite differently—and tend to have quite different price points.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 10 Jan. 2025
In the silence of the Warriors’ heartbeat, Draymond Green.
Perhaps most concerningly, though, Golden State’s defeat was conspicuous in the absence of agitation elsewhere.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
McCaul said lawmakers should brace themselves for Trump floating major foreign policy ideas off the cuff, something that’s already causing agitation on Capitol Hill.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for agitation 
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Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Both make ice cream by introducing freezing cold temperatures and agitation to an ice cream base mixture, but beyond that the two operate quite differently—and tend to have quite different price points.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 10 Jan. 2025
In the silence of the Warriors’ heartbeat, Draymond Green.
Perhaps most concerningly, though, Golden State’s defeat was conspicuous in the absence of agitation elsewhere.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
McCaul said lawmakers should brace themselves for Trump floating major foreign policy ideas off the cuff, something that’s already causing agitation on Capitol Hill.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for agitation
Dictionary Entries Near agitation
Cite this Entry
“Agitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agitation. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
agitation
noun
ag·i·ta·tion
ˌaj-ə-ˈtā-shən
: a state of excessive psychomotor activity accompanied by increased tension and irritability
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