AGITATES Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

agitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of agitate

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

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

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

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of agitates Uneasy feelings activate self-critical thoughts as the moon agitates Chiron. — Usa Today, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026 The machine dryer agitates the clothing and prevents fibers from stiffening during drying, which is why clothing comes out feeling soft. — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026 This agitates me and my lead foot. — Matt Fuchs, Time, 20 Jan. 2026 To admit what hurts, agitates, and offends us in fact illuminates what is complicated and good in us. — Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025 Stacey Rusch, however, is a conflict that Gizelle is still very much negotiating in the present day, and the Detroit Diva’s aloof and irreverent nature agitates all of Gizelle’s worst traits. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025 The explainer agitates the problem and leads to your solution. — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 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

Skeleton Tree at Rumi’s Kitchen Perfect for the midnight cocktail hour, Rumi’s stirs together a black Manhattan with Persian spice.

— Angela Hansberger, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Watching polygamous families, Surya says, stirs pity, judgment and empathy in her, as well as fascination with the camaraderie, rivalry and sisterhood between the women.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of stirs

Verb

Some of the sightings claim a man wearing clothing typical of the 17th or 18th centuries, a man dressed in Confederate attire in the liquor room, a ghost of a former worker Joseph Hardesty and a female who actively disturbs visitors to her home.

— Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
Vibration disturbs the natural sediments in wine, flattening the flavor and aging it prematurely.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of disturbs

Verb

When isolated issues in other states occur, even if proved untrue, the intense and repeated national media attention on them shakes voter confidence here at home.

— Heather LaMarre, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Near the corner of Broad Street and Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia, Shania Bennett shakes hands with a daycare owner.

— Dan Snyder, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of shakes

Verb

This article discusses all six episodes of Netflix’s The New Stanford Prison Experiment.

— Judy Berman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
The film follows a cast that discusses their memories, their relationships and their identity — all through the lens of color, Adidas said.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of discusses

Verb

The film fairly vibrates with ominous tension even in scenes in which seemingly nothing happens.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Partita takes a poem that vibrates with political energy and domesticates it, sapping this very famous verse of its revolutionary bite.

— Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of vibrates

Verb

But on Monday, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan likened many of the investors drawn to the AI boom to gamblers and questioned the economics of AI labs as Wall Street debates whether the AI bubble will burst.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Co-star Tom Blyth will surely hold his own in Michael Arden’s production of a play that debates whether the rule of law in a democracy can fully protect us from a dangerous world.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of debates

Verb

Similarly, Sudan hopes that internal conflict in Ethiopia distracts Addis from its support of the rapid support forces militia in Sudan’s war.

— Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
If a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars, the art inside an airport that reminds us of our humanity and distracts us from our fatigue is an object worthy of praise.

— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026