Word
agitating
Phoneticsag·i·tat·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈædʒəˌteɪtɪŋ/
UK/ˈædʒɪtˌeɪtɪŋ/
Definition
v. to stir or shake a liquid, or to make people feel worried and unable to stay calm. You use it for soup that needs mixing and for talk that makes a group restless.
v. to stir or shake a liquid briskly; to disturb people emotionally or to press persistently for social or political change.
Examples
“She is agitating the soup to stop it sticking.”
“The washing machine is agitating the clothes to remove the mud from the football kits.”
“The group keeps agitating for cleaner parks, handing out leaflets and speaking at every council meeting.”
Examples
simple
“She is agitating the soup to stop it sticking.”
contextual
“The washing machine is agitating the clothes to remove the mud from the football kits.”
complex
“The group keeps agitating for cleaner parks, handing out leaflets and speaking at every council meeting.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “agitating” in context.
Verb
01. agitate against policy
“Labor unions are expected to agitate against the new tax policy.”
verb + prep + noun
02. agitate for change
“Students have started to agitate for change in the university's tuition policy.”
verb + prep + noun
03. begin to agitate
“The prisoners began to agitate for better living conditions and more frequent exercise.”
verb + inf
04. continue to agitate
“Despite the new laws, the group continued to agitate for total independence.”
verb + inf
Adjective
05. constantly agitate
“The political activists constantly agitate for reform in the local government.”
adv + verb
06. vigorously agitate
“You must vigorously agitate the mixture for two minutes to ensure the chemicals react.”
adv + verb
Noun
07. agitate the crowd
“The speaker's inflammatory rhetoric served only to agitate the crowd further.”
verb + noun
08. agitate the liquid
“Use a glass rod to agitate the liquid until the sediment dissolves.”
verb + noun
09. agitate for social reform
“The organization was founded to agitate for social reform and civil rights.”
10. agitate the surface of
“Strong winds began to agitate the surface of the lake, making it dangerous for small boats.”
Usage
The verb is transitive when meaning to stir or upset; takes 'for' when meaning to campaign.
Real-World Examples
“The argument agitated him before the meeting.” “He is representative of citizens from immigrant backgrounds who are agitating to be heard and included.” “Awadallah, a former finance minister who was a driving force behind Jordan's liberal economic reforms, was charged with agitating to undermine the political system and committing acts that threaten public security and sowing sedition.” “The last dinner Wendy Dolin had with her husband, Stewart, he was so agitated that he was jiggling his leg under the table and could barely sit still.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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