1
as in frenzy
a state of wildly excited activity or emotion
knew immediately, from the horses' agitation, that something terrible was happening
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in anxiety
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
experienced a great deal of agitation over whether she had an appropriate dress for her husband's inauguration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 agitation
The company also expects to start phase three trials in Alzheimer’s agitation, Alzheimer’s cognition and bipolar disorder in 2025, while studies in autism will begin in 2026.
—
Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Both make ice cream by introducing freezing cold temperatures and agitation to an ice cream base mixture, but beyond that the two operate quite differently—and tend to have quite different price points.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 10 Jan. 2025
In the silence of the Warriors’ heartbeat, Draymond Green.
Perhaps most concerningly, though, Golden State’s defeat was conspicuous in the absence of agitation elsewhere.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
McCaul said lawmakers should brace themselves for Trump floating major foreign policy ideas off the cuff, something that’s already causing agitation on Capitol Hill.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agitation
Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Both make ice cream by introducing freezing cold temperatures and agitation to an ice cream base mixture, but beyond that the two operate quite differently—and tend to have quite different price points.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 10 Jan. 2025
In the silence of the Warriors’ heartbeat, Draymond Green.
Perhaps most concerningly, though, Golden State’s defeat was conspicuous in the absence of agitation elsewhere.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
McCaul said lawmakers should brace themselves for Trump floating major foreign policy ideas off the cuff, something that’s already causing agitation on Capitol Hill.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitation
Noun
-
The meal concluded with a luscious pavlova, but the conversation lingered well into the night, as the fashion week frenzy charged ahead toward its final stretch of shows and soirées.—
Kristen Bateman,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2025
-
Big Tech stocks and companies that rode the artificial intelligence frenzy in recent years have slumped sharply.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
In the film, Shear stars as Sam, a once-promising law student whose anxiety has slowly chipped away at his confidence in all areas of his life.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Qigong also was found helpful in treating arthritis, depression and anxiety, and hypertension in a May 2022 study published in the Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research.—
Melanie Radzicki McManus,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Amid his social media rampage, Rob also accused Chyna of drug abuse, alcohol abuse and infidelity.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
-
The Abomination goes on a rampage in Harlem, and Bruce turns himself into the Hulk to defeat him.—
Eliana Dockterman,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The country passed a law last month banning foreign political donations over fears about potential interference in this week’s vote.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Some other common reasons behind these behaviors include teething; fears and phobias; and social isolation or boredom; among others.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Such avant-garde court designs certainly are the rage these days.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2025
-
In these moments, an intense, nearly existential bewilderment sets in, usually followed by rage.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Clearly, an allegation of this magnitude is incredibly disturbing and causes concerns about the safety of the children in our school community.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
5 Mar. 2025
-
Yesterday’s trading pattern, where banks and industrials fell while tech bounced, reflected real concern about U.S. growth.—
Josh Fellman,
Quartz,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Trade tensions and signs of slowing growth have led to worries that a recession could be looming.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Those worries were only amplified by his State of the Union speech.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA TODAY,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
However, the romantic narrative is punctuated by subtle moments of unease, each barely perceptible on its own but which, taken together, build into something rather more sinister.—
Stephanie Hirschmiller,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
-
More than a year later, the campus remains in a state of bewildered unease.—
Nathan Heller,
The New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitation. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share