1
as in provoked
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the medical breakthrough instigated a whole new field of therapy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraged
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the charge that the scene in the movie had instigated teenagers to commit similar acts of vandalism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instigated
The same night the videos of the shooting appeared online, Peters was arrested in Fort Lauderdale on an unrelated misdemeanor battery charge, stemming from an altercation that Peters allegedly instigated between two women in Osceola County.
—
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
The Osceola Sheriff’s Office said Peters instigated the fight and posted it online to exploit the women.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Details of what happened were confirmed to The Athletic by several sources who said the confrontation was instigated by Rudiger.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 5 May 2026
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office alleged Peters instigated a fight between his girlfriend, Violet Lentz, 24, and a 19-year-old influencer in February at a short-term rental in Kissimmee, Fla.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The demonstrations have been primarily instigated by farmers, agricultural contractors and road haulage operators, who are upset with the government’s response to the spike in fuel prices since the onset of the Iran war.
—Michael Considine, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
No angry, in-your-face, Twitter-like battles were instigated.
—Aaron Everitt, STAT, 10 Apr. 2026
Police have said Lil Tjay instigated a confrontation with Offset and his entourage in the lead-up to the gunfire.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
Monday was far from the first time there were moves to get Lively and Baldoni to solve the December 2024 instigated legal matter without the drama of a trial.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
The Osceola Sheriff’s Office said Peters instigated the fight and posted it online to exploit the women.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Details of what happened were confirmed to The Athletic by several sources who said the confrontation was instigated by Rudiger.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 5 May 2026
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office alleged Peters instigated a fight between his girlfriend, Violet Lentz, 24, and a 19-year-old influencer in February at a short-term rental in Kissimmee, Fla.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The demonstrations have been primarily instigated by farmers, agricultural contractors and road haulage operators, who are upset with the government’s response to the spike in fuel prices since the onset of the Iran war.
—Michael Considine, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
No angry, in-your-face, Twitter-like battles were instigated.
—Aaron Everitt, STAT, 10 Apr. 2026
Police have said Lil Tjay instigated a confrontation with Offset and his entourage in the lead-up to the gunfire.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
Monday was far from the first time there were moves to get Lively and Baldoni to solve the December 2024 instigated legal matter without the drama of a trial.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigated
Verb
-
Violence against women provoked outrage among Indigenous women—and men.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
The anxiety the show provoked only added to its allure.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Picnic dinners are encouraged, but alcohol, glass containers and pets are prohibited.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2026
-
Founders are encouraged to identify their natural role and seek a complementary partner to build a scalable, sustainable business with personal well-being intact.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
After a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in March, which was triggered by Micky van de Ven’s red card just before half-time, Tudor hinted at discord in the dressing room.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey received pushback Monday over a social media post remembering George Floyd, whose Memorial Day death six years ago triggered nationwide protests and riots, as well as calls to defund law enforcement agencies.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Economic development will be stimulated by large infrastructure investments, but energy and other resources will be strained.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
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When people spend long periods in activities that require very little mental effort, those pathways may not be stimulated in the same way.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instigated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigated. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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