incite

verb

in·cite | \in-ˈsīt

incited; inciting

Definition of incite

transitive verb

: to move to action : stir up : spur on : urge on

Other Words from incite Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about incite

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Other Words from incite

incitant \in-ˈsī-tᵊnt

\ noun

incitement \in-ˈsīt-mənt

\ noun

inciter noun

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

Since the 2016 election, Republicans have repeatedly accused Democrats of inciting violence and harassing Trump administration officials in public. — Vivian Salama, WSJ, "Trump Condemns Violence After Pipe Bombs Sent to Democrats, CNN," 24 Oct. 2018 In June, police arrested five other activists on suspicion of also inciting the Dalits, who have been marginalized for centuries and forced to perform jobs considered unacceptable by other castes. — Fox News, "India's top court refuses to release 5 rights activists," 28 Sep. 2018 And on Thursday, local police raided the MDC party’s headquarters and accused Chamisa of inciting violence. — Madeleine Ngo, Vox, "Opponents say Zimbabwe’s election was a sham. The ruling party is trying to silence them.," 3 Aug. 2018 My obsession with wealthy-looking hair, albeit incited by a childhood chip on my shoulder, has taught me important lessons about wealth, privilege, and arbitrary beauty standards. — Veronica Walsingham, SELF, "Growing Up With Less Money Than My Friends Made Me Obsessed With Having Wealthy-Looking Hair," 15 Nov. 2018 If previous Anahata revolutions were any indication, the incendiary results would incite unrest elsewhere in the country, eventually leading to revolt and a total collapse of the government. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Google’s former PR boss Jessica Powell wrote a satirical novel about tech and published it all on Medium," 2 Oct. 2018 This order then incites swifter cell turnover and more robust growth-factor output, which then triggers more collagen creation down below the surface for glowier, plumper, prettier skin. — Jolene Edgar, Allure, "The Truth About Growth Factors in Skin Care and Why They're Controversial," 2 Aug. 2018 Reactionary business sectors incited fears of expropriation and capital flight. — Steven Cohen, The New Republic, "Why Colombia Keeps Electing Presidents Tied to Murderers," 18 June 2018 Other types of speech including slander, libel or speech that incites violence also are not protected. — Shelby Webb, Houston Chronicle, "Can Houston-area students be punished for protesting?," 23 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.