agitation

noun ah-zhee-tah-SYOHN Rare

Also means

unrest

Usage Note

Agitation covers both physical restlessness and social or political unrest, as in agitation politique ('political unrest'). The related verb agiter means 'to shake' or 'to stir up', and agité (adjective) means 'restless' or 'rough' (of the sea). In medicine, agitation also refers to a state of acute mental distress.

Examples

"L'agitation dans la salle était palpable."

Natural Translation

The agitation in the room was palpable.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

French Adjective Placement: Before or After the Noun?

French adjectives usually follow the noun, but a small common set goes before it — and a few change meaning depending on which side they sit. Here's the rule.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French False Friends: 25 Faux Amis to Avoid

French false friends look like English words but mean something else: actuellement is not actually, sensible means sensitive. Here are 25 faux amis to avoid.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Sorry in French: Désolé vs Pardon vs Excusez-moi

Use désolé for genuine regret, pardon to bump or squeeze past, and excusez-moi to get attention. A situation-by-situation guide to saying sorry in French.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

En, Au, Aux: French Prepositions for Countries

Use en for feminine countries, au for masculine, aux for plural, and à for cities. Full French preposition rule for countries, with a lookup table and traps.

June 4, 2026 5 min read