agitator

noun

ag·​i·​ta·​tor ˈa-jə-ˌtā-tər 

: 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

Synonyms

• demagogue
• demagog
• exciter
• firebrand
• fomenter
• incendiary
• inciter
• instigator
• kindler
• provocateur
• rabble-rouser

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

President Trump is committed to holding these radical agitators accountable and deporting non-citizens who are conducting this behavior. —Kaity Kline, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025

Republicans have blamed many of those confrontations on Democratic activists and agitators. —Julia Manchester, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025

Multiple agitators were arrested during the operation. —Rachel Wolf, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2025

He’s also endorsed Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party and participated in an online campaign to convince British officials to release far-right agitator Tommy Robinson. —William Gavin, Quartz, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

agitate + -or entry 1

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for agitator

• activator
• actuator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator
• calculator

Kids Definition

agitator

noun

ag·​i·​ta·​tor ˈaj-ə-ˌtāt-ər 

1

: a person who stirs up public feeling

2

: a device for stirring or shaking