agitation

UK: /ˌædʒɪˈteɪʃ^ən/ US: (aj′i tā′shən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ag•i•ta•tion  (aj′i tā′shən), n. 

1. the act or process of agitating;
   state of being agitated:
   She left in great agitation.
2. persistent urging of a political or social cause or theory before the public.
3. Psychiatry Also called psychomotor agitation. psychological and physical restlessness, manifested by pacing, hand-wringing, or other activity, sometimes occurring as a symptom of severe depression, schizophrenia, or other mental disorder.

• Latin agitātiōn- (stem of agitātiō); see agitate, -ion
• 1560–70

ag′i•ta′tion•al, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. tumult, storm; unrest, disquiet; struggle, conflict; perturbation, ado.
  Agitation, disturbance, excitement, turmoil imply inner unrest, uneasiness, or apprehension.
  Agitation implies a shaken state of emotions, usually perceptible in the face or movements:
  With evident agitation she opened the telegram.
  Disturbance implies an inner disquiet caused by worry, indecision, apprehension, or the like:
  Long-continued mental disturbance is a cause of illness.
  Excitement implies a highly emotional state caused by either agreeable or distressing circumstances:
  excitement over a proposed trip, unexpected good news, a fire.
  Turmoil suggests such a struggle or conflict of emotions that one is unable to think consecutively:
  Her thoughts were in a hopeless turmoil.
• 2. debate, discussion, argument.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

agitation / ˌædʒɪˈteɪʃən/ noun

1. a state of excitement, disturbance, or worry
2. the act of moving something vigorously; the shaking or stirring of something
3. the act of attempting to stir up public opinion for or against something

ˌagiˈtational adjective