incite

verb

in·​cite in-ˈsīt 

incited; inciting

transitive verb

1

: to move (someone) to action : urge on

incited the crowd to violence

2

: to cause (a usually violent action or feeling) to occur

arrested for inciting a riot

incitant

in-ˈsī-tᵊnt 

noun

incitement

in-ˈsīt-mənt 

noun

inciter noun

Synonyms of incite

• provoke

Choose the Right Synonym for incite

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 incite in a Sentence

The news incited widespread fear and paranoia.

the rock band's failure to show up incited a riot, as the crowd had waited for hours

Recent Examples on the Web

Cabrera is accused of having a cockfighting training ring, a dead rooster in a cage, a rooster agitator (a device used to incite fighting), a gun, rooster vitamins, syringes and medication on his property. —Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026

Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho suggested after the game that Vinicius Jr had incited the incident, also referencing the home side’s legend Eusebio, who is Black. —Dan Kilpatrick, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026

Would drafting to the secondary in the first round incite a riot from Broncos Country, after the Broncos blindsided everyone with Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron in 2025? —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026

Next-gen stars such as Odessa A’zion, Connor Storrie, Chase Infiniti and more incited the beauty shift late last year, boasting their own messy mops on the red carpet and beyond. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French inciter, from Latin incitare, from in- + citare to put in motion — more at cite

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for incite

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

incite

verb

in·​cite in-ˈsīt 

incited; inciting

: to move to action : stir up

inciter noun

Medical Definition

incite

transitive verb

in·​cite in-ˈsīt 

incited; inciting

: to bring into being : induce to exist or occur

organisms that readily incited antibody formation

Legal Definition

incite

transitive verb

in·​cite in-ˈsīt 

incited; inciting

: to urge on

incite a riot

incitement noun