AGITATE Synonyms: 167 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'agitate' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of agitate are convulse , rock , and shake . While all these words mean "to move up and down or to and fro with some violence," agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring. // an ocean agitated by storms

Q: When is it sensible to use 'convulse' instead of 'agitate'?

The words convulse and agitate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm. // spectators were convulsed with laughter

Q: Where would 'rock' be a reasonable alternative to 'agitate'?

Although the words rock and agitate have much in common, rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval. // the whole city was rocked by the explosion

Q: When can 'shake' be used instead of 'agitate'?

The meanings of shake and agitate largely overlap; however, shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose. // shake well before using

agitate

verb

ˈa-jə-ˌtāt

Definition of agitate next

as in to stir

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

as in to disturb

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

as in to shake

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

as in to discuss

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word agitate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of agitate are convulse, rock, and shake. While all these words mean "to move up and down or to and fro with some violence," agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring.

an ocean agitated by storms

When is it sensible to use convulse instead of agitate?

The words convulse and agitate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm.

spectators were convulsed with laughter

Where would rock be a reasonable alternative to agitate?

Although the words rock and agitate have much in common, rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval.

the whole city was rocked by the explosion

When can shake be used instead of agitate?

The meanings of shake and agitate largely overlap; however, shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose.

shake well before using

Examples of agitate in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Recent Examples on the Web When both individuals were agitated, aggression increased by an astonishing 86%. —

Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024 To use De-Solv-it on lipstick stains, wet the stain with water and spray it with De-Solv-it, agitate the fabric by rubbing it against itself, and then launder the garment as usual. —

Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2024 Knowing there was only 50-50 chance of receiving the shock agitated the volunteers far more than knowing the painful shock was imminent, highlighting how much more unsettling uncertainty can be compared to the certainty of discomfort. —

Dr. Mithu Storoni, TIME, 16 Sep. 2024 Critiques of Musk have tried to stress the severity of the billionaire agitating a foreign Government and encouraging extremist ideologies and behavior. —

Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for agitate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitate

Verb

Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 6 Nov. 2024
Many states cannot begin counting mail-in ballots until Election Day itself, which could prolong the wait for results and stir concerns about transparency and fairness.

TIME Staff, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024