An agitator is a person or thing that stirs up unrest, action, or controversy, often by appealing to emotions or sparking debate. In politics or social movements, an agitator may provoke others to take notice or to challenge the status quo, sometimes through persuasive rhetoric or provocative tactics. The term can carry a neutral, pejorative, or romanticized connotation depending on context.
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"The protest organizer accused the agitator of inflaming tensions, while others argued they were simply voicing a necessary warning."
"Political opponents labeled him an agitator, but his speeches mobilized a previously disengaged community."
"The loudspeaker was an agitator that amplified calls for reform across the city."
"She warned that the agitator’s messages could undermine stability if left unchecked."
Agitator comes from the Latin agitare, meaning to drive, move, or scatter, formed from ag- (toward) and -itare (to drive or urge). In Latin, agitare conveyed the sense of stirring up, agitating, or trampling. The noun form agitator appears in English in the 17th century, originally used for someone who stirs or moves troops or opinions, often in a political sense. By the 18th and 19th centuries, it broadened to describe individuals who incite others to action or unrest, particularly within civil or political spheres. The word retained a charge of active disturbance, sometimes negative (as in a troublemaker), sometimes enabling reformers who challenged established norms. Evolving media and political discourse amplified its usage, especially in contexts of protest, labor movements, or social upheaval, where a person’s rhetoric could mobilize crowds or provoke counter-mobilization. Today, agitator can refer to a person who deliberately stirs controversy to provoke decision or action, or more neutrally to any device or mechanism that drives movement, though the former remains the predominant association. First known uses align with Latin roots through medieval to early modern English, with popularization in political writing and journalism as public agitation became a common theme in governing and activism.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "agitator" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "agitator"
-tor sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Break it into four syllables: a-git-a-tor. Stress falls on the second syllable: a-GI-ta-tor. IPA: US /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtər/, UK /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtə/, AU /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtə/. Start with /æ/ as in cat, then /dʒ/ as in judge, follow with /ɪ/ (bit), long /eɪ/ for the vowel in “te,” and finish with /tər/ or /tə/ depending on accent. You’ll want a crisp /dʒ/ and a clear division between GI and T. Listen for the secondary stress pattern: the primary stress on GI, with a light ending.”,
Common errors: (1) Flattening the /ɪ/ to a schwa in the first or second syllable, which softens the word; (2) Slurring the /t/ into a /d/ or dropping the /t/ altogether in rapid speech, producing a silent or lenited ending; (3) Misplacing the primary stress, saying a-GI-ta-tor with incorrect weight on GI. Correction: keep /æ/ in the first vowel, maintain the /dʒ/ blend, ensure /ˌteɪ/ is distinct, and pronounce final /tər/ with a clear /t/ followed by a light /ər/ or /ə/ depending on accent.”,
US tends to have a clearer /æ/ in the first vowel and pronounce final /ər/ as rhotic /ər/. UK often keeps non-rhotic /tə/ ending, with strong /ˌteɪt/ and a slightly more fronted /æ/; AU mirrors US rhotic tendencies in broader speech but with a more clipped /t/ and often a trailing /ə/. Across all, the /dʒ/ remains consistent; the difference centers on rhoticity and the final syllable vowel. Listen for length and vowel quality shifts rather than a different consonant set.”,
The difficulty lies in coordinating a multi-syllabic sequence with a tri-syllabic stress. The /dʒ/ blend after the initial /æ/ can throw non-native speakers, and the second syllable’s /ɪ/ and the long /eɪ/ in -te- require careful vowel distinction. Additionally, final -tor may be realized as /tər/ in rhotic accents or /tə/ in non-rhotic ones, which changes the ending feel. Focused drills on /ædʒɪˌteɪtər/ can reduce trailing- off or misplacement of stress.”,
Does 'agitator' ever reduce to /əˈdʒɪteɪtər/ in fast speech? Generally not in careful speech; native speakers preserve the initial /æ/ and the /dʒ/ blend, with the primary stress on GI. In rapid delivery, some speakers may reduce the first vowel slightly toward /æ/ or schwa in casual contexts, but the standard, widely understood form remains /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtər/ across major dialects. Practicing with the full form helps prevent mispronunciation in media or formal contexts.
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