agitator

noun

ag·​i·​ta·​tor ˈa-jə-ˌtā-tər How to pronounce agitator (audio)
: one that agitates: such as
a
: one who stirs up public feeling on controversial issues
political agitators
b
: a device or an apparatus for stirring or shaking

Examples of agitator in a Sentence

The police arrested several anti-government agitators. a political agitator who led an unsuccessful revolt against the government
Recent Examples on the Web The past week, however, has seen the Spirit Awards in Santa Monica disrupted not by speeches, but by an outside-the-tent agitator with an amplified bullhorn. Steven Gaydos, Variety, 27 Feb. 2024 The ad appealed to King for patience in dealing with the issues of segregation, calling him an outside agitator and asking protesters to obey the laws. USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 For machine-washable down comforters, Martinez suggests washing in cold water and skipping the agitator. Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2024 There’s no love lost between conventional Democratic political operatives and the agitators who seem to believe that making life as miserable as possible for everyone else is a productive enterprise. Noah Rothman, National Review, 2 Jan. 2024 By mid-2021, online rumors accusing left-wing agitators of instigating the Capitol riot had fizzled out. Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2024 With top-loading machines, you might be tempted to choose one without an agitator to have even more room, but Sheinkopf says the larger washers without agitators simply don't wash clothes as well. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2023 In the letter, Ruiz said agitators heckled mourners at the vigil before putting up the posters. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2023 But the agitators harnessed a deeper set of grievances among young people, struggling with spiraling prices and a desperate lack of affordable housing. Jennifer Duggan, Fortune Europe, 6 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'agitator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

agitate + -or entry 1

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of agitator was in 1663

Dictionary Entries Near agitator

Cite this Entry

“Agitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agitator. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

agitator

noun
ag·​i·​ta·​tor ˈaj-ə-ˌtāt-ər How to pronounce agitator (audio)
1
: a person who stirs up public feeling
2
: a device for stirring or shaking

More from Merriam-Webster on agitator

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