Agitated — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈa-jə-ˌtā-təd/ ag·i·tat·ed

Meaning & Definition of Agitated

Agitated (adjective)

  1. troubled in mind, disturbed and upset

Agitated (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being in a state of increased activity or agitation

    "all ferry crossings were cancelled because of the agitated waters around the islands"

    similar: excited, feverish, frenzied, heated, hectic, hyperactive, overactive, overwrought, in a lather, keyed up
    related: hyperexcited, overexcited, afire, aflutter, aquiver, atingle, anxious, dithery, edgy, het up, high-strung, hyped-up, hyper, jittery, jumpy, nervy, nervous, perturbed, tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, uptight, wired
    near: calm, collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, placid, serene, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled, unworried

  2. feeling overwhelming fear or worry

    "by the time they finally showed up, long after midnight, we'd become so agitated that we never did get to sleep that night"

    similar: delirious, distracted, distrait, distraught, frantic, frenzied, hysterical, beside oneself
    related: alarmed, anxious, disquieted, disturbed, nervous, perturbed, tense, troubled, upset, worried, wrought (up), affrighted, aghast, fearful, frightened, horrified, scared, spooked, terrified, terrorized, ballistic, berserk, crazed, demented, deranged, mad, maniacal, nuclear, raging, ranting, raving
    opposite: collected, composed, recollected, self-collected, self-composed, self-possessed, unhysterical
    near: calm, peaceful, placid, self-possessed, serene, tranquil, cool, coolheaded, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled, unworried

Agitated (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly

    "this room could use a ceiling fan to agitate the stuffy air a bit"

    similar: churned, stirred, swirled, washed, whirled
    related: beat, paddled, whipped, whisked, reeled, shook, wheeled

  2. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "there's no need to agitate the patient about little things"

    similar: ailed, alarmed, bothered, concerned, derailed, discomforted, discomposed, dismayed, disquieted, distempered, distracted, distressed, disturbed, exercised, flurried, frazzled, freaked (out), fussed, hagrode, perturbed, undid, unhinged, unsettled, upset, weirded out, worried
    related: aggravated, angered, annoyed, bugged, chafed, chivied, exasperated, fretted, galled, got, grated, harassed, harried, irked, irritated, nettled, peeved, pestered, piqued, put off, put out, riled, vexed, bedeviled, haunted, plagued, abashed, confounded, confused, discomfited, disconcerted, discountenanced, embarrassed, fazed, flustered, jarred, mortified, nonplussed, rattled, shook up, daunted, demoralized, discouraged, disheartened, dispirited, unnerved
    opposite: calmed, composed, quieted, settled, soothed, tranquilized
    near: allayed, alleviated, assuaged, appeased, conciliated, mollified, pacified, placated, propitiated

  3. to make a series of small irregular or violent movements

    "set the washing machine so it will agitate for four minutes before going into the rinse cycle"

    similar: bucketed, convulsed, jerked, jiggled, joggled, jolted, jounced, juddered (chiefly British), quaked, quivered, shook, shuddered, vibrated, wobbled
    related: rocked, swayed, swung, chattered, quavered, shivered, thrilled, trembled, twitched, doddered, wavered, flickered, fluctuated, fluttered, oscillated, undulated, waved, beat, palpitated, pit-a-patted, pitter-pattered, pulsated, pulsed, throbbed

  4. to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion

    "a question which has been agitated by the legislature time and time again"

    similar: argued, bandied, batted (around or back and forth), canvassed, debated, discussed, disputed, hashed (over or out), mooted, talked over
    related: reviewed, spoke (about), talked (about), broached, introduced, propounded, raised, stirred up, forged, hammered out, talked out, thrashed (out), wrestled (with), chewed over, considered, deliberated, weighed

Related Entry: Agitate (verb)

Agitate is a different word from Agitated. The synonyms below are for agitate, not for agitated.

  1. to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly

    "this room could use a ceiling fan to agitate the stuffy air a bit"

    similar: churn, stir, swirl, wash, whirl
    related: beat, paddle, whip, whisk, reel, shake, wheel

  2. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "there's no need to agitate the patient about little things"

    similar: ail, alarm, bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry
    related: aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy, exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex, bedevil, haunt, plague, abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
    opposite: calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize
    near: allay, alleviate, assuage, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

  3. to make a series of small irregular or violent movements

    "set the washing machine so it will agitate for four minutes before going into the rinse cycle"

    similar: bucket, convulse, jerk, jiggle, joggle, jolt, jounce, judder (chiefly British), quake, quiver, shake, shudder, vibrate, wobble
    related: rock, sway, swing, chatter, quaver, shiver, thrill, tremble, twitch, dodder, waver, flicker, fluctuate, flutter, oscillate, undulate, wave, beat, palpitate, pit-a-pat, pitter-patter, pulsate, pulse, throb

  4. to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion

    "a question which has been agitated by the legislature time and time again"

    similar: argue, bandy, bat (around or back and forth), canvass, debate, discuss, dispute, hash (over or out), moot, talk over
    related: review, speak (about), talk (about), broach, introduce, propound, raise, stir up, forge, hammer out, talk out, thrash (out), wrestle (with), chew over, consider, deliberate, weigh

Related Entry: Agitated (for) (verb)

Agitated (for) is a different word from Agitated. The synonyms below are for agitated (for), not for agitated.

  1. as in worked (for), campaigned (for)

    similar: campaigned (for), worked (for), advertised, boosted, plugged, publicized, touted, abetted, aided, assisted, endowed, financed, funded, patronized, staked, subsidized, underwrote, advocated, backed, championed, endorsed, supported, upheld, advanced, cultivated, encouraged, forwarded, fostered, furthered, incubated, nourished, nursed, nurtured, promoted
    opposite: discouraged, frustrated, hindered, inhibited, banned, barred, enjoined, forbade, interdicted, outlawed, prevented, prohibited, proscribed, battled, combated, contended (with), countered, fought, opposed, repressed, snuffed (out), squashed, squelched, stifled, subdued, suppressed, arrested, checked, halted, retarded, encumbered, fettered, hobbled, impeded, interfered (with), manacled, obstructed, shackled

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Agitated

The most common words with a similar meaning to Agitated:

Chiefly British: juddered
excited, feverish, frenzied, heated, hectic, hyperactive, overactive, overwrought, delirious, distracted, distrait, distraught, frantic, hysterical, in a lather, keyed up, beside oneself, churned, stirred, swirled, washed, whirled, ailed, alarmed, bothered, concerned, derailed, discomforted, discomposed, dismayed, disquieted, distempered, distressed, disturbed, exercised, flurried, frazzled, freaked (out), fussed, hagrode

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Agitated

Words with the opposite meaning of Agitated:

collected, composed, recollected, self-collected, self-composed, self-possessed, unhysterical, calmed, quieted, settled, soothed, tranquilized

Related Words for Agitated

hyperexcited, overexcited, afire, aflutter, aquiver, atingle, anxious, dithery, edgy, het up, high-strung, hyped-up, hyper, jittery, jumpy, nervy, nervous, tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, uptight, wired, wrought (up), affrighted, aghast, fearful, frightened, horrified, scared

Near Antonyms of Agitated

calm, cool, coolheaded, placid, serene, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled, unworried, peaceful, allayed, alleviated, assuaged, appeased, conciliated, mollified, pacified, placated, propitiated

Word Forms of Agitated

Derived words: agitatedly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Agitated

from past participle of agitate

First known use: 1684

Frequently Asked Questions about Agitated

What does "Agitated" mean?

"Agitated" means troubled in mind, disturbed and upset. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: troubled in mind, disturbed and upset. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Agitated"?

Other words for "Agitated" include excited, feverish, frenzied, heated, hectic, hyperactive, overactive and overwrought. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Agitated" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Agitated"?

There are 207 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Agitated". Common alternatives include excited, feverish, frenzied, heated, hectic, hyperactive, overactive, overwrought, delirious and distracted.

What is the opposite of "Agitated"?

Antonyms of "Agitated" include collected, composed, recollected, self-collected, self-composed, self-possessed, unhysterical and calmed. Near antonyms include calm, cool, coolheaded and placid.

How do you use "Agitated" in a sentence?

Examples of "Agitated" in a sentence: "all ferry crossings were cancelled because of the agitated waters around the islands"; "by the time they finally showed up, long after midnight, we'd become so agitated that we never did get to sleep that night"; "this room could use a ceiling fan to agitate the stuffy air a bit".

Is "Agitated" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Agitated" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Agitated"?

"Agitated" is pronounced /ˈa-jə-ˌtā-təd/ and divided into syllables as ag·i·tat·ed.

What is the origin of the word "Agitated"?

"Agitated" comes from from past participle of agitate. First known use: 1684.