as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
a deliberately inciting comment questioning someone's manhood started the brawl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in provoking
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the rock band's failure to show up incited a riot, as the crowd had waited for hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraging
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the demagogue's fiery rant incited the crowd to riot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inciting
Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Madhusree Mukerjee, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2025
The group also slammed how authorities arrested some social media users and activists for purportedly inciting violence.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
That’s inciting lots of speculation again — (about) the sustainable fuel, the energy balance.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Wole’s infidelity is an important inciting incident, but this moment of personal reckoning was inevitable.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Rivers, in a Facebook post, accused Antao of inciting the attack by antagonizing her.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
In a January letter, the prosecutor, Adán Vicente Santos Santos, claimed that the local court wrongly dismissed testimony of two counterintelligence officers from the Interior Ministry who accused Tristá Padilla of inciting two other men to publish antigovernment content on Facebook.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
The president and other administration officials have characterized those left-leaning groups as playing a part in inciting violence, raising concerns that they might be targeted.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
Republicans on Capitol Hill also backed Bondi’s qualified statement that speech inciting violence should be prosecuted.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
His alleged infidelity became the inciting incident of the series, and Brooks’s sisters rally around her amid the breakup.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Scammers use sophisticated tactics that prey on the vulnerabilities of older adults, inciting panic and inducing isolation so that individuals make decisions alone and quickly.
—Madhusree Mukerjee, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2025
The group also slammed how authorities arrested some social media users and activists for purportedly inciting violence.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
That’s inciting lots of speculation again — (about) the sustainable fuel, the energy balance.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Wole’s infidelity is an important inciting incident, but this moment of personal reckoning was inevitable.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Rivers, in a Facebook post, accused Antao of inciting the attack by antagonizing her.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
In a January letter, the prosecutor, Adán Vicente Santos Santos, claimed that the local court wrongly dismissed testimony of two counterintelligence officers from the Interior Ministry who accused Tristá Padilla of inciting two other men to publish antigovernment content on Facebook.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
The president and other administration officials have characterized those left-leaning groups as playing a part in inciting violence, raising concerns that they might be targeted.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
Republicans on Capitol Hill also backed Bondi’s qualified statement that speech inciting violence should be prosecuted.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inciting
Adjective
-
In some instances, demonstrators have displayed provocative props such as a guillotine to symbolize opposition to federal actions.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The Valiant is an incredibly provocative car.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But an interview with Trump on 60 Minutes also presents tremendous risk for a news organization that has already been the focus of the president’s ire and is now trying to maintain its credibility without provoking him again.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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This is an installment of The Nightcrawler, a weekly collection of thought-provoking articles on tech, innovation, and long-term investing by Eric Markowitz of Nightview Capital.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The idea behind the guide was that encouraging people to take more road trips would increase the demand for tires.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
12 Oct. 2025
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Through his work, Strachan examines histories often overlooked in mainstream narratives, particularly those connected to the Black diaspora, encouraging viewers to reconsider which histories are celebrated and how they are represented.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For context, geomagnetic storms are caused by fiery eruptions from the sun's surface that send charged particles zipping toward our planet.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
20 May 2025
-
The ceremony came at a charged moment, coinciding with Columbia University canceling its graduation ceremony (and largely closing off its campus).—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2024
Verb
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The vaccine combines two immune-stimulating molecules (adjuvants) in a tiny lipid nanoparticle that enhances both innate and adaptive immune responses.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Oct. 2025
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From removing buildup to stimulating circulation and keeping your complexion vibrant and balanced, estheticians often recommend monthly facials as necessary maintenance for your skin.—
Essence,
Essence,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inciting. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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