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
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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
Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 23 May 2026
The inciting moment comes when Austin and Ashley witness a violent argument between Josh and Lindsay.
—Ryan Brennan
april 16, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
While one of the inciting events for establishing the Code of Credits happened to be a crowd of producers onstage at the Oscars, the goal never was to exclude anyone from the profession.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
Atwood told Wertheim there were several ways into the story, but an inciting event came in 1981, just after former President Ronald Reagan was elected for the office.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
That incident, which inspired the inciting moment of season two’s premiere, led Lee to think about how different generations approach love and relationships.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
The inciting moment, April explains, was Noelle’s fourth-grade school art show.
—Ruth Madievsky, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
That’s the inciting incident of the new Paramount+ series Little Disasters, based on the Sarah Vaughan novel of the same name.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
There's a naivety and sweetness to them that's ripped away in an instant when the two passionately make love in the barren house, the inciting incident for the demise of their relationship.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
ABC News, 3 June 2026
This week, the game’s developers announced that the universal DH will soon be available, inciting furious debate in each league as some users sought to protect this tiny corner of the (fake) baseball universe where National League ball still means something.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Sharon Vuong was the visionary executive who had given Bowers the inciting DVDs and championed the show following Moonves’s departure.
—Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
Firstly, the inciting tragedies are not fresh in terms of time, even if the pain is still all too raw nearly 20 years after the fact.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
The current president accused House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of inciting violence.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
This inciting incident gradually links together other dark threads in the building, including a gambling addict attempting to hide a corpse and a woman living alone who is the victim of an assault.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2026
Specifically, on May 4, 1886, eight men were arrested by the Chicago police for inciting violence after a bomb exploded at a protest and chaos broke out, with officer and civilian deaths.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 1 May 2026
After an active shooter incident disrupted the actual dinner two days later, on April 25, some social media users accused Kimmel of inciting violence toward the president.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Of course, the pivotal thing was to create an inciting incident that propels the story without clunky exposition.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 23 May 2026
The inciting moment comes when Austin and Ashley witness a violent argument between Josh and Lindsay.
—Ryan Brennan
april 16, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
While one of the inciting events for establishing the Code of Credits happened to be a crowd of producers onstage at the Oscars, the goal never was to exclude anyone from the profession.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
Atwood told Wertheim there were several ways into the story, but an inciting event came in 1981, just after former President Ronald Reagan was elected for the office.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
That incident, which inspired the inciting moment of season two’s premiere, led Lee to think about how different generations approach love and relationships.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
The inciting moment, April explains, was Noelle’s fourth-grade school art show.
—Ruth Madievsky, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
That’s the inciting incident of the new Paramount+ series Little Disasters, based on the Sarah Vaughan novel of the same name.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Dec. 2025
There's a naivety and sweetness to them that's ripped away in an instant when the two passionately make love in the barren house, the inciting incident for the demise of their relationship.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Three former vigil organizers were charged in 2021 with inciting subversion under the national security law.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
This week, the game’s developers announced that the universal DH will soon be available, inciting furious debate in each league as some users sought to protect this tiny corner of the (fake) baseball universe where National League ball still means something.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Sharon Vuong was the visionary executive who had given Bowers the inciting DVDs and championed the show following Moonves’s departure.
—Anna Peele, Vulture, 20 May 2026
Firstly, the inciting tragedies are not fresh in terms of time, even if the pain is still all too raw nearly 20 years after the fact.
—Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
The current president accused House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of inciting violence.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
This inciting incident gradually links together other dark threads in the building, including a gambling addict attempting to hide a corpse and a woman living alone who is the victim of an assault.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2026
Specifically, on May 4, 1886, eight men were arrested by the Chicago police for inciting violence after a bomb exploded at a protest and chaos broke out, with officer and civilian deaths.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 1 May 2026
After an active shooter incident disrupted the actual dinner two days later, on April 25, some social media users accused Kimmel of inciting violence toward the president.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inciting
Adjective
-
Make your kick-off intriguing or provocative to inspire viewers to read on.—
William Arruda,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
And not all of his merchandise is provocative.—
Lyz Lenz,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Ciara and Interracial Dating in the Bravosphere The most thought-provoking moment of the episode concerned the online minefield that is interracial dating in the Bravosphere, a network that features predominantly white casts.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
3 June 2026
-
Cattelan is known for satirical pieces that challenge popular culture, often provoking debates around conceptual art.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Cuts expected to remain include a sharp reduction in zoning investigators, the elimination of a fee waiver encouraging sidewalk repairs and cuts to the city’s bomb squad.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
Efforts to increase births have accelerated in recent years as the full scale of the population crisis has become clearer, with new policies ranging from childbirth and housing subsidies to encouraging more fathers to take paternity leave.—
Yumi Asada,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
At a charged political moment, her relatively sober look seemed intended to keep the focus on POTUS.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
12 Dec. 2025
-
What Happens Next Greene is likely to continue stoking controversy by breaking with her party, as conversations around immigration remain charged and divisive.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inciting. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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