as in proponent
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
an instigator who always managed to be innocently standing by once the fighting began
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Recent Examples of instigator
Naming an interstate war based on the state in which the war is fought – while omitting the name of outside instigators – implies the culpability of that state.
—
Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
One of the main instigators, Starboard Value, is back for more.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
Interlune’s instigator and intellectual godfather is an 89-year-old former astronaut, Harrison Schmitt, who serves as executive chairman.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
Lee, seeking to move past a military takeover attempt by his predecessor, positioned himself as a facilitator of dialogue rather than an instigator of confrontation.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Dana being one of them, Robby obviously being one, and Santos being, in some way, the instigator or the catalyst for that whole story to fall apart.
—EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
But that would do more harm, Nicole Lee said, disproportionately affecting young people of color and wrongfully assuming that youths are the main instigators of violence.
—Terry Tang, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Guinan said Merriweather and Jermaine Matthews were both the instigators of the fight.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
One of the main instigators, Starboard Value, is back for more.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
Interlune’s instigator and intellectual godfather is an 89-year-old former astronaut, Harrison Schmitt, who serves as executive chairman.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
Lee, seeking to move past a military takeover attempt by his predecessor, positioned himself as a facilitator of dialogue rather than an instigator of confrontation.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Dana being one of them, Robby obviously being one, and Santos being, in some way, the instigator or the catalyst for that whole story to fall apart.
—EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
But that would do more harm, Nicole Lee said, disproportionately affecting young people of color and wrongfully assuming that youths are the main instigators of violence.
—Terry Tang, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Guinan said Merriweather and Jermaine Matthews were both the instigators of the fight.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigator
Noun
-
Host a challenge forum with a proponent, a skeptic, and a synthesizer.—
Curt Steinhorst,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
To answer this question, Lam looks to the ancient Chinese philosopher Han Fei, an important proponent of the school of thought known as Legalism.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Participants are currently gathering pledges from friends and supporters.—
Nate Heinold,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Fields had plenty of supporters in the locker room and even on the staff.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The British band’s inaugural stop in Latin America on their highly successful Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour — which launched in Cardiff, Wales, on July 4 — drew a crowd of 65,000 fans at Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros, according to promoter OCESA.—
Natalia Cano,
Billboard,
13 Sep. 2025
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But major contract hurdles including race dates with the potential promoter, along with other issues will prevent that from happening in 2026.—
Bruce Martin,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But in a region being fought over by a patchwork of anti-junta rebel groups, the military and pro-military militia – and given the widespread distrust of the Rohingya – information on where exactly his family are, or what will become of them, has not been forthcoming.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This consultative approach can turn potential customers into long-term advocates, proving your commitment to their success over your own sale.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
An advocate for free speech and limited government, Kirk also used his sizable platform to spread falsehoods and conspiracy theories about topics including climate change, vaccines, transgender people and demographic change.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That might be an agitator for some players.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
22 Aug. 2025
-
To those worried about an unchecked secularism, Dobson was a powerful agitator for his version of moral certitude and fundamentalist faith.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The demonstrator performs an action thrice in response to the gestural command of the experimenter, 3–5 s following which the second experimenter gives the same gestural command to the test subject in a test trial.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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At least one demonstrator was hospitalized in connection with the clash, according to protesters.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The young firebrand, 31, was a staunch political ally of Trump and helped fuel his political comeback and return to the White House in January.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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The Georgia firebrand, who has been insistent that the United States stay out of affairs abroad, has attempted similar amendments to both the NDAA and appropriations bills in past years and recently, with no success.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigator. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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