The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - agitate v.

1) excite, arouse, rouse, move, perturb, stir up, disquiet, fluster, ruffle, rattle, disconcert, discomfit, unsettle, upset, rock, unnerve, shake (up) , Colloq discombobulate: Rachel was agitated to learn of the bank's threat to foreclose on the mortgage. 2) push, press, campaign; promote: The miners have been agitating for better safety measures. 3) stir (up) , churn, disturb, shake, roil: The calm lake was agitated by the motor boats.