AGITATOR Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

agitator

noun

ˈa-jə-ˌtā-tər

Definition of agitator

as in rebel

a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent a political agitator who led an unsuccessful revolt against the government

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of agitator Now, Bartko fears death in a Kansas prison cell or deportation to Belarus, where her friends have been prosecuted as political agitators. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026 For several years before the IAU vote, there had been agitators among the astronomical community lobbying for our solar system's nine worlds to become eight, and for Pluto's planetary status to be revoked. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026 James Fishback, a right-wing agitator who captured the imagination of Gen Z voters by throwing about racist and antisemitic comments, came in third with just over 10% of the vote. — Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026 Tibbetts wants fans to blame outside agitators for ruining the league's momentum. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for agitator

Recent Examples of Synonyms for agitator

Noun

The Saudis did not blame any party for the attacks, but Houthi rebels took credit earlier for the airport strikes.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Attacks by the Houthis, the Yemeni rebel group, on commercial shipping in the Red Sea over the last three years have pushed major carriers around the Cape of Good Hope, boosting traffic at ports along Africa’s southern and western coasts.

— Jared Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of rebel

Noun

Other supporters argue that adding the ban to the Missouri Constitution would strengthen it.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
Two vocal supporters of Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra filed a formal campaign finance complaint against his rival, Steve Hilton, on Tuesday over the Republican campaign’s use of paid online promoters.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of supporter

Noun

Unsheltered intertwined two plots related to the precarity of American life and the danger of demagogues — one set at the dawn of the MAGA era.

— Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
The country is in a fix about as bad as any demagogue is likely to put it in.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of demagogue

Noun

One was a $750,000 donation to the California Republican Party and the other a $100,000 check to Reform California, the political organization run by firebrand conservative Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-Valley Center.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Mélenchon, 75, a veteran anti-capitalist firebrand, finished third in the 2022 presidential election and fourth in both 2017 and 2012.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of firebrand

Noun

Messina Touring Group, the promoter, said that Kraft — a friend of Sheeran — would not allow the tour to play his venues if Macklemore remained on the bill.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Two vocal supporters of Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra filed a formal campaign finance complaint against his rival, Steve Hilton, on Tuesday over the Republican campaign’s use of paid online promoters.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of promoter

Noun

On the other side of the campaign, John Adams was labeled by Jefferson's proponents as a monarchist with aspirations to become king of the new United States.

— Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Curiously, few of these proponents ever mention the New York Mets and their spending.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of proponent

Noun

Mungiu’s prickly, nonjudgmental studies of human behavior have sometimes led him to be branded as a provocateur.

— Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Some of Abiy’s critics now see him as a provocateur whose actions could lead to hostilities in the Horn of Africa.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of provocateur

Noun

They’re seen as oligarchs, as the people with wealth and power, controlling our lives—not as outsider insurgents.

— Nicholas Lemann, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Others look further back to early and sporadic insurgent activity in 1964, before the UDI, or to 1965, the year of the UDI (November 11) itself.

— Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of insurgent

Browse Nearby Words

agitational

agitator

agitators

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“Agitator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agitator. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of agitator

noun

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