Agitate

To “agitate” is a slang term used to describe the act of provoking or irritating someone deliberately to elicit a reaction or response. The term is often used when trying to intentionally upset or bother someone to incite a strong emotional response.

Example 1: She knew how to agitate her little brother by constantly teasing him about his fear of spiders, making him scream and run away.

Example 2: The group of protestors aimed to agitate the government officials through their peaceful demonstration, demanding immediate action on climate change.