How to Use agitate in a Sentence

agitate

verb
  • Some members of the union have been agitating for a strike.
  • If I talk about the problem with him it just agitates him even more.
  • The mixture is heated and then agitated.
  • A few local residents have been agitating against a military presence.
  • This lack of playing time has fuelled rumours that the Chilean may agitate for a move away from Barcelona.
    SI.com, 1 Nov. 2019
  • Their failures boggled the mind and agitated a fanbase.
    Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, 26 Oct. 2019
  • Extra people can be agitating for someone who is trying to interpret all of the different things going on around them.
    Savannah Eadens, The Courier-Journal, 23 Oct. 2019
  • Every so often, the quiet was broken by the waterfall rush of violence as icebergs flipped over, agitated by the ship's wake.
    Paul Voosen, Science Magazine, 10 Oct. 2019
  • Yates has been among the Padres’ few veteran players clearly agitated with the way this season collapsed under an avalanche of losses — and the reasons why.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2019
  • Unbeknownst to Sorkin, Disney had already been doing some agitating in private.
    Celeste Sloman, Town & Country, 23 Sep. 2019
  • Blame game Biden’s staff members blamed the president for his debate performance, which agitated the first family, according to the source.
    Peter Cordi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 July 2024
  • Stay away from the area for a day or so as the treatment will agitate them.
    Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2022
  • Dunk and agitate the pack, squeezing the straps and back panel foam again to get the soap out.
    Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 17 July 2021
  • Immerse the item in the clear water and gently agitate it with clean hands to rinse.
    Taryn Mohrman, Good Housekeeping, 12 Oct. 2022
  • Leaving her dog in the SUV, Woods allegedly went to the back of the trailer, shaking the hives to agitate the bees.
    Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2022
  • Dust a tiny bit of salt and sugar over the vegetables and use a gloved hand to agitate the mixture.
    Aly Walansky, Forbes, 25 June 2022
  • To perform the chabrot, each diner pools wine into their plate at the end of the meal, agitates the wine with a fork to degrease the plate, then drinks the wine.
    Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 27 Jan. 2020
  • In Myanmar, both sides have come to fear the whir of the propeller blades agitating the air above them.
    Paul Mozur Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 4 May 2024
  • Then place the basket back in the bowl and let the leeks soak, agitating the water to release debris.
    Alexis Deboschnek, Bon Appétit, 3 Jan. 2024
  • Then an adult male arrived that had the hair up on his neck like he was agitated.
    Outdoor Life, 26 July 2023
  • A lot of people assume that this will agitate a prospect.
    David Villa, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
  • Using your hands, gently agitate the water and soap with the silk.
    Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2021
  • To prompt the snapping, the researchers agitated the shrimp with toothpicks.
    Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Mar. 2023
  • Using your hands, gently agitate the pieces around to ensure each piece is able to be rinsed.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2024
  • Once the wax has liquified, use your coat-hanger tool to agitate the chain (make sure the chain stays fully submerged).
    Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2020
  • There's also a loophole to the six-month rule that's agitating some campers.
    Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 21 Apr. 2023
  • But the Sox should at least inquire, if for no other reason than to agitate the Yankees.
    Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Nov. 2022
  • Then, use your hands to agitate the item so that the solution can penetrate its fibers.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 June 2022
  • The real worry would come if he wasn’t agitated about all of this.
    BostonGlobe.com, 11 Dec. 2019
  • But don’t bolt or scream, as these actions can startle or agitate a bear.
    Laken Brooks, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2021

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

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