1
as in excitement
something that arouses a strong response from another
the rabble-rousing speech was seen by many as an incitation to ethnic violence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity
a mild heart attack was all the incitation he needed to adopt an exercise regimen and a healthy diet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incitation
But one chat room over, the server was filled with racist memes, sexist and ableist slurs, antisemitic messages, and incitations of violence against women and people of color.
—
Ash Parrish, The Verge, 18 Mar. 2024
Between these voices of reason and incitation, between these two seemingly different men, lie 22 years of power and five American presidents.
—New York Times, 26 Mar. 2022
Bolsonaro will still have to stand trial for accusations of slander and incitation to rape.
—Mauricio Savarese, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2018
Ash Parrish, The Verge, 18 Mar. 2024
Between these voices of reason and incitation, between these two seemingly different men, lie 22 years of power and five American presidents.
—New York Times, 26 Mar. 2022
Bolsonaro will still have to stand trial for accusations of slander and incitation to rape.
—Mauricio Savarese, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incitation
Noun
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Newly out of school, Stanton was at first less interested in Smith’s ideas than she was attracted to the excitement and glamour of his circle.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
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Following the main festival, an exclusive after-party at Stadium Club keeps the excitement flowing as guests get to know their city’s newest craft spirit.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That’s largely because the city of San Diego has been ahead of this curve for years, reducing regulations, creating incentives to build lower-cost housing and doing away with zoning restrictions.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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Investors leverage this report to measure tightness in the labor market, which influences expectations around wage inflation; in a hot labor market, businesses need to pay up to attract talent, but when there are way more job-seekers than openings, less financial incentives are needed.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Our market reacts to rate cuts more than any other stimulus.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
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But economists expressed disappointment over the government’s limited stimulus.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That entrepreneurial bent was a major impetus behind For Denver FC’s earliest efforts—along with a love of the game and gender-equity activism.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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And that gave William the impetus and the confidence to go forward and cement his relationship with Catherine.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Measuring, analyzing, cautioning, dispensing encouragement.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
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When one dog needed encouragement to run through the tunnel, Magnuson intervened, shortening it to a few feet.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The motivation behind the post remains unclear.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2026
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Kelce on Thursday provided a bit of motivation for his teammate and friend with a video shared on Instagram.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The brain needs time to shift out of the day, so a bath, quiet reading or low-stimulation play in the 30 to 60 minutes before bed can go a long way.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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Unlike most opioids, buprenorphine only partially activates opioid receptors, providing enough stimulation to prevent withdrawal and cravings while not causing euphoria.—
Rachel French,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incitation. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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