4 syllables: ag, i, ta, tors. Stress on ag.
AJ-it-ay-turz
/ˈædʒɪˌteɪtɚz/
agitators is pronounced AJ-it-ay-turz (/ˈædʒɪˌteɪtɚz/). It has four syllables (ag-i-ta-tors), with the stress on "ag". Agitators are people who provoke others to action, especially in political or social contexts. They incite or stir up dissent, protests, or unrest, often using persuasive rhetoric to mobilize crowds. The term can carry negative connotations, highlighting disruptive or provocative behavior rather than constructive leadership.
Agitators are people who provoke others to action, especially in political or social contexts. They incite or stir up dissent, protests, or unrest, often using persuasive rhetoric to mobilize crowds. The term can carry negative connotations, highlighting disruptive or provocative behavior rather than constructive leadership.
- Not differentiating the /dʒ/ sound from /tʃ/; practice with minimal pair: jeg/ beg, or 'ajar' contrasts. - Misplacing primary stress on the second syllable; ensure initial stress is strong: /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtəz/. - Ending without rhoticity in US: pronounce /z/ as a voiced z and the final schwa or schwa+z: /-tərz/ or /-təz/ depending on accent. - Substituting /ə/ for /ɪ/ in the middle vowel; keep the short /ɪ/ in the second syllable. - Don’t cluster the syllables too quickly; keep a clean CV-CV-CV rhythm to avoid slurring.
"The protest organizers accused the agitators of inflaming tensions despite the peaceful crowd."
"During the town hall, agitators attempted to derail constructive debate with shouting and chants."
"Historians studied the agitators who fueled the revolution from behind the scenes."
Phonetically, it’s /ˈæ.dʒɪˌteɪ.tərz/ in US English and /ˈædʒ.ɪˌteɪ.təz/ in UK English (non-rhotic). Primary stress on the first syllable: AG-uh-tay-turz. Break it as AG-i-ta-tors, with clear /dʒ/ in the second consonant cluster and a final /ərz/ or /əz/ depending on accent. Mouth position: start with a front-open vowel /æ/, then a voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/ as in 'judge,' then a lax /ɪ/ or /ɪ/ as in 'sit,' then /teɪ/ like ‘bait,’ then final /təz/ or /təz/ with a light, quick schwa before the z.
Common errors: misplacing stress (placing primary stress on the second syllable as /ˌædʒɪˈteɪ.tərz/), mispronouncing /dʒ/ as /tʃ/ (like ‘chair’), and troubling final consonants—pronouncing the final /z/ as /s/ or dropping the /ər/ syllable. Correction: emphasize the first syllable with /ˈæ/ and ensure /dʒ/ is a true affricate blend, not /dj/; articulate the second syllable with /teɪ/; end with a clear /tər/ or /təz/ depending on rhythm. Practice: say AG-ih-tey-turz, then slow down to AGI-tay-turz, and finally AGI-ta-torz in fluent speech.
US: /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtərz/ with rhotic /r/. UK: /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtəz/ non-rhotic; final /təz/ or /təz/. AU: similar to UK but with subtle vowel flattening; /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtəz/ and a slightly longer /ə/ in the final syllable. The main differences: rhoticity (US rhotic vs UK non-rhotic) and vowel quality in the mid vowels, as well as the treatment of the final syllable /əz/ versus /ərz/.
It is challenging due to the clustered /dʒ/ following a stressed syllable, the long /eɪ/ in -teɪ-, and the final unstressed -əz/-ərz depending on accent. The transition from /ɪ/ to /teɪ/ requires precise tongue work to avoid a mis-timed /dʒ/ or a clipped final /z/. Additionally, non-native speakers often misplace stress or merge syllables, making the word sound like ‘agitate-ers’ or ‘agit-ators’.
A unique point is the secondary stress tendency on -tā- in natural speech: although primary stress is on the first syllable, fluent speakers often give a subtle secondary emphasis to the -teɪ- portion, which helps the rhythm of the sentence. IPA-wise you’ll hear [ˈædʒɪˌteɪtəz], with a clear /teɪ/ nucleus and a trailing /tə/-/z/ that snaps quickly.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /r/ in /ər/ ending; keep /ɪ/ short and crisp; use a clearer /ˈædʒɪˌteɪtərz/ with strong initial syllable. - UK: non-rhotic, final /təz/ or /təz/, maintain clear /æ/ and /ɪ/; avoid adding extraneous /r/ after vowels. - AU: slight flattening of vowels; maintain /æ/ and /eɪ/ but allow a softer final /z/ or /z/; practice with Australian listening exercises to match prosody.
The word agitator derives from the French agiter, meaning «to shake up» or «to stir,» which itself comes from the Latin agitare, ‘to drive, excite, or chase.’ In English, agitator appeared in the 17th–18th centuries in political and religious contexts to describe someone who stirs public sentiment or incites action. The sense broadened in the 19th and 20th centuries to cover agents of agitation in labor movements, political campaigns, and social upheavals. The root ag- (to drive) paired with -it- in Latin-derived forms echoes across related words like agitation, agitate, and agitational, signaling movement, disturbance, and stimulation. Early uses often framed agitators as dangerous disruptors or passionate leaders who could catalyze change, with modern usage sometimes emphasizing manipulation or radicalism in provocative figures.
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Words that rhyme with "agitators"
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