agitated 1 of 2

adjective

ˈa-jə-ˌtā-təd How to pronounce agitated (audio)
Definition of agitatednext
1
as in excited
being in a state of increased activity or agitation all ferry crossings were cancelled because of the agitated waters around the islands

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Relevance

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2
as in distraught
feeling overwhelming fear or worry by the time they finally showed up, long after midnight, we'd become so agitated that we never did get to sleep that night

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

agitated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of agitate
1
as in stirred
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

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2
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy there's no need to agitate the patient about little things

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in shook
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

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4
as in discussed
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

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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 agitated
Adjective
Migratory birds in captivity develop Zugunruhe, an agitated fitfulness, at certain times of year. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Following instructions from the kidnappers (unbeknownst to his increasingly agitated comrades), Lee drives out to meet them for the exchange, only to wreck his car and become distracted saving a nearby woman, Hua (Moon Lee). — Jake Cole, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
Don’t Overload the Washer Towels need enough room to be agitated and thoroughly washed in the machine, so avoid filling it to the brim. — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026 Wynn said the alligator started to get agitated and even opened its mouth and hissed at her. — Steven Yablonski, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for agitated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitated
  1. excited
  2. distraught
  3. stirred
  4. alarmed
  5. shook
  6. discussed
  7. heated
  8. worried
Adjective
  • The Fear Economy Pew Research found in August 2026 that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI, up from 37% in 2021.
    — Bob Pearson, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Upon their arrival, the couple stopped to greet excited fans, several of whom had brought them flowers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • In a move that had the audience distraught but should’ve been expected at some point, Guillermo and Witney are sent home Tuesday night.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • There were plenty of disappointed and angry members of Gator Nation on Saturday after Florida's surprising loss to South Carolina in Gainesville, but none may have been more distraught than a young member of Jon Sumrall's own household.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of distraught
Verb
  • The DeepSeek shock in early 2025 triggered another freakout as the Chinese AI model stirred doubts about the necessity of all that capex.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier this year, Yu Hao, the founder and CEO of leading robot-vacuum-maker Dreame, made headlines and stirred controversy with his goal of building it into the world’s first $100 trillion company.
    — Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of stirred
Verb
  • The symptom that alarmed me most in that moment was the progressive skin wrinkling in some NCBRS teens.
    — Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Those moves have alarmed Japan, whose economy is dependent for its survival on open sea lines and which recently has been embroiled in a spat with China over remarks that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarmed
Verb
  • The tech-heavy Nasdaq has fought its way into the green Tuesday, as influential AI stocks like CoreWeave shook off earlier losses.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The pope then walked outside greeted and waved at the crowd and shook hands of hospital staff lined up by car to see him off.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of shook
Verb
  • The three-week trial included hours of video evidence and testimony from multiple witnesses and experts, including a medical examiner who discussed the injuries that killed the three firefighters.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In 2024, there wasn’t a single election ad on broadcast TV that mentioned data centers, according to tracking from the firm AdImpact, and in most of 2025, only a handful discussed them, largely in down-ballot state races.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of discussed
Adjective
  • Those contentions — and Bartell’s claim of a second list of 17,000 potential noncitizen voters — only add to an already heated debate about the scope of the inquiry and its legitimacy.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • During a June 24 special meeting, Knight ordered the removal of fellow board member Anita Kurn following a heated discussion over a vacant board seat, according to Iredell Free News.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of heated
Adjective
  • Many were worried that this would lead to productivity losses.
    — Volen Vulkov, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday morning, a relative of Cantrell who was worried that the baby might be Cantrell’s called police.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of worried

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Cite this Entry

“Agitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitated. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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