instigate

verb

in·​sti·​gate ˈin(t)-stə-ˌgāt How to pronounce instigate (audio)
instigated; instigating

transitive verb

: to goad or urge forward : provoke
instigation noun
instigative adjective
instigator noun

Did you know?

Instigate is often used as a synonym of incite (as in "hoodlums instigating violence"), but the two words differ slightly in their overall usage. Incite usually stresses an act of stirring something up that one did not necessarily initiate ("the court's decision incited riots"). Instigate implies responsibility for initiating or encouraging someone else's action and usually suggests dubious or underhanded intent ("he was charged with instigating a conspiracy"). Another similar word, foment, implies causing something by means of persistent goading ("the leader's speeches fomented a rebellion"). Deriving from the past participle of the Latin verb instigare, instigate stepped into English in the 16th century, after incite and ahead of foment.

Choose the Right Synonym for instigate

incite, instigate, abet, foment mean to spur to action.

incite stresses a stirring up and urging on, and may or may not imply initiating.

inciting a riot

instigate definitely implies responsibility for initiating another's action and often connotes underhandedness or evil intention.

instigated a conspiracy

abet implies both assisting and encouraging.

aiding and abetting the enemy

foment implies persistence in goading.

fomenting rebellion

Examples of instigate in a Sentence

There has been an increase in the amount of violence instigated by gangs. The government has instigated an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web When another bystander attempts to intervene, Duffy, who is on her cellphone, starts shouting at the person, then instigating her daughter during the fight. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2024 Repairs strain the bottom line The instigating factor seems to have been repair costs for rideshare EVs, which were much higher than expected. Alex Kierstein, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Some have alleged that anti-Trump antifa instigated the riot or that police were complicit in the building breach, fueling calls for the release of Capitol surveillance footage from that day that in turn re-energized claims of FBI involvement. Scott Clement, Washington Post, 4 Jan. 2024 The musician claimed self-defense, but the dead man’s family disputes that, claiming Kirk instigated the physical dispute that led up to the shooting. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 18 Dec. 2023 Trump, the voters claimed, instigated the Jan. 6 attack as part of his efforts to thwart the peaceful transfer of presidential power after the 2020 election, and therefore is ineligible for a second term. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2024 The debilitating year-long price war instigated by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in his ongoing quest for leadership of the EV industry has claimed its latest victim. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2024 News of Pitchfork’s obsolescence instigated extensive discussion about the kinds of media operations that are possible these days. Vulture, 25 Jan. 2024 What Michaels heard from the people who went, combined with security footage released to and selectively edited by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, leads her to believe in the conspiracy theory that undercover FBI agents instigated the riot. Emily Guskin, Washington Post, 2 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'instigate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin instigatus, past participle of instigare — more at stick

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of instigate was in 1542

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near instigate

Cite this Entry

“Instigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instigate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

instigate

verb
in·​sti·​gate ˈin(t)-stə-ˌgāt How to pronounce instigate (audio)
instigated; instigating
instigation noun
instigator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on instigate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!