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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inciting
Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
He was arrested in Heathrow Airport over the weekend for allegedly inciting violence in that and similar posts made in April, and claims he was told not to use X as a condition of his bail.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 4 Sep. 2025
Police did not name Linehan in a statement about the arrest but said it was made on suspicion of inciting violence.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Whether shouted from Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park or written on X, inciting violence can be criminal in the United Kingdom.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
The man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Hawley waited until the start of the fifth season to lean all the way into the comparison, by borrowing the movie’s inciting incident where a Minnesota Nice housewife is kidnapped by two goons — one hapless, one relentless and seemingly mystical.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
The engagement announcement became a moment of fan mania, breaking records on social media and inciting comments from all corners of the internet.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
After inciting rage on both sides of the aisle, spurring conversations about private equity ruining fun, and generally being the internet’s main character (derogatory) for a week, the restaurant has brought back their barrel and the old man who guards it.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
And, heck, even Friday, particularly with Travis Kelce indulging and inciting fans at Neo Quimica Arena with dance moves during warmups before the Chiefs took on the Los Angeles Chargers.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
He was arrested in Heathrow Airport over the weekend for allegedly inciting violence in that and similar posts made in April, and claims he was told not to use X as a condition of his bail.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 4 Sep. 2025
Police did not name Linehan in a statement about the arrest but said it was made on suspicion of inciting violence.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Whether shouted from Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park or written on X, inciting violence can be criminal in the United Kingdom.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
The man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Hawley waited until the start of the fifth season to lean all the way into the comparison, by borrowing the movie’s inciting incident where a Minnesota Nice housewife is kidnapped by two goons — one hapless, one relentless and seemingly mystical.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
The engagement announcement became a moment of fan mania, breaking records on social media and inciting comments from all corners of the internet.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
After inciting rage on both sides of the aisle, spurring conversations about private equity ruining fun, and generally being the internet’s main character (derogatory) for a week, the restaurant has brought back their barrel and the old man who guards it.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inciting
Adjective
-
And the goal is to be provocative and push boundaries.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Fun, provocative and sometimes controversial, the MTV Video Music Awards stand out among other award shows.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Follow Scheffler for destination stories, travel trends and thought-provoking conversations from the world of travel.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As a practical matter, California making this move will only further inflame the gerrymandering problem, encouraging a further spiral of gerrymandering offsetting Democratic gains in other states.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Walking tours are also gaining prominence, minimizing car use and encouraging a deeper connection with the city.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Integrating dogs into the workplace can reduce the stress of worrying about them all day, and also potentially save employees money in monitoring cameras and stimulating activities when left home alone.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Ketamine works by stimulating the brain’s resilience mechanisms, according to Krystal.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inciting. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share