agitate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈædʒəˌteɪt/ UK /ˈædʒɪteɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to stir up or disturb; to campaign vigorously

The activists agitated for sweeping reform.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to stir up or disturb; to... disturb perturb ruffle unsettle stir fluster campaign incite

Opposites

calm soothe pacify settle quiet

Word family

Derived forms agitation agitatoragitativeagitated

Related forms act agent agile cogitate

Simplified etymology

Agitate entered English in the late Middle Ages and originally meant “drive away.” It ultimately derives from Latin agere, meaning “to do” or “to drive.”

Etymology

From Latin agitatus, past participle of agitare ('to put in motion, drive, stir'), frequentative of agere ('to drive, do, act').

agitare Latin agere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# agitate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈædʒəˌteɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈædʒɪteɪt/

## Meanings
1. to stir up or disturb; to campaign vigorously

## Examples
- The activists agitated for sweeping reform.

## Synonyms
- disturb
- perturb
- ruffle
- unsettle
- stir
- fluster
- campaign
- incite

## Antonyms
- calm
- soothe
- pacify
- settle
- quiet

## Derived Forms
- agitation
- agitator
- agitative
- agitated

## Related Forms
- act
- agent
- agile
- cogitate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: agitare
- Root: agere

## Etymology
From Latin agitatus, past participle of agitare ('to put in motion, drive, stir'), frequentative of agere ('to drive, do, act').

## AI Etymology
Agitate is from Latin agitatus, past participle of agitare ('to put in motion, drive, stir'), frequentative of agere ('to drive, do, act'). In present-day use, it means to stir up or disturb; to campaign vigorously. Derived formations include agitation, agitator, agitative, and agitated. Related vocabulary includes act, agent, agile, and cogitate.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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