Synonyms and Antonyms of agitate
1
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
2
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
- there's no need to agitate the patient about little things
ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry
aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex
bedevil, haunt, plague
abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up
daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
3
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
bucket, convulse, jerk, jiggle, joggle, jolt, jounce, judder [chiefly British], quake, quiver, shake, shudder, vibrate, wobble (also wabble)
rock, sway, swing
chatter, quaver, shiver, thrill, tremble
twitch
dodder, waver
flicker, fluctuate, flutter, oscillate, undulate, wave
beat, palpitate, pit-a-pat, pitter-patter, pulsate, pulse, throb
4
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
