1
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agitates
The explainer agitates the problem and leads to your solution.
—
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
As the moon agitates Venus, a promise is broken, or feelings are disregarded.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
There’s even a room equipped with soft surfaces for when clients inadvertently take a drug that agitates them.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
As the moon agitates Venus, a promise is broken, or feelings are disregarded.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
There’s even a room equipped with soft surfaces for when clients inadvertently take a drug that agitates them.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitates
Verb
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For decades, scientists have considered the moon a dead world—a silent, unchanging landscape where nothing stirs.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
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Cardinal safety Budda Baker is still wreaking havoc and remains the proverbial straw that stirs the drink.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Currently comprising more than 8,300 active satellites, the Starlink constellation also disturbs radio telescope observations.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The water is perfectly clear — until someone brushes the side of the cave or disturbs the soft bottom, sending fine silt particles billowing into the beam of a headlamp.—
Jennifer Walker,
CNN Money,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Noah Cameron shakes off rocky 1st inning Sunday didn’t start well for Royals rookie starter Noah Cameron.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
14 Sep. 2025
-
One team member gets to see an object in a box, then the other team members have to guess what that person saw, using only facial expressions (no nods or head shakes) as clues.—
Matthew Jackson,
Vulture,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In fact, given the scarcity of Black programming in the current television landscape—Issa Rae’s new documentary series Seen & Heard discusses this reality in depth—the world of women’s basketball has been one of the few spaces where the bright lights consistently shine on Black women and girls.—
Timeka Tounsel,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Now Kennedy himself is driving much of what the committee discusses, including today’s deliberations on hepatitis B and MMRV, Demetre Daskalakis, the former director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told us.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?—
Time,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
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What bothers her most is how the refusal seemed to change her brother’s behavior.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Also, the dual sonic mopping system vibrates 4,000 times a minute for intense cleaning power—and the mop water heats up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit to tackle stains (like stuck-on oil) and to kill germs during the self-cleaning cycle.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
28 Aug. 2025
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Elements defy mode that vibrates the car to shed dust and dirt.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As the Fed debates its next move, remember that Warren Buffett isn’t trying to guess tomorrow’s stock chart.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
As Washington debates the future of the space agency, the Perseverance team can only go about its business, sending its rover this way and that, to sniff out clues to Mars’s ancient past.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This might mean dropping a product line that’s profitable but distracts from your core business, or saying no to a good opportunity that isn’t aligned with your growth strategy.—
Minna Hu,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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And best of all, the mirror distracts guests from registering that there’s a coat hanger hiding ‘round back.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agitates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitates. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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