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
Moreno countered that the ruling party was silencing opposition voices and insisted Fernández Noroña had instigated the fight.
—
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2025
And on the day, Mike instigated it.
—Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
The closure of the group page came after several formal complaints to Facebook’s owner Meta, instigated by the feminist activist and author Carolina Capria.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Weeks after public calls for a White man who some say instigated the July 26 Downtown brawl to face charges, the 45-year-old has been charged with a low-level misdemeanor − and few seem satisfied.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 22 Aug. 2025
The project was instigated by Hybe America CEO Scooter Braun’s purchase and sale of her early catalog and represents Swift’s effort to control her own songs and how they’re used.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
It wasn’t instigated by formal education or a big career, but from simply being around the work, watching things get built, fixed, and beautified.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
The teen who instigated the fight pulled a knife and tried to stab his rival, but his opponent managed to grab the blade and stab him with it, sources said.
—Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025
Ant Farm’s Embassy to the Dolphins was never constructed, but the presentation of the idea in mainstream media instigated conversations amongst human readers that would otherwise never have happened.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2025
And on the day, Mike instigated it.
—Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
The closure of the group page came after several formal complaints to Facebook’s owner Meta, instigated by the feminist activist and author Carolina Capria.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Weeks after public calls for a White man who some say instigated the July 26 Downtown brawl to face charges, the 45-year-old has been charged with a low-level misdemeanor − and few seem satisfied.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 22 Aug. 2025
The project was instigated by Hybe America CEO Scooter Braun’s purchase and sale of her early catalog and represents Swift’s effort to control her own songs and how they’re used.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
It wasn’t instigated by formal education or a big career, but from simply being around the work, watching things get built, fixed, and beautified.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
The teen who instigated the fight pulled a knife and tried to stab his rival, but his opponent managed to grab the blade and stab him with it, sources said.
—Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025
Ant Farm’s Embassy to the Dolphins was never constructed, but the presentation of the idea in mainstream media instigated conversations amongst human readers that would otherwise never have happened.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigated
Verb
-
Michael Roberson, a defense attorney, argued Lawson was provoked by Martin.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
-
So his recent absence from public view provoked all sorts of speculation – fed by social media algorithms that promoted conspiracy theories and complete nonsense to huge numbers of people.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Mixing and matching is encouraged.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Those who experienced the earthquake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The fire is assumed to have been triggered by a lightning strike.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Pheu Thai's crisis was triggered back in June by Anutin's withdrawal from its alliance, which left the coalition government clinging to power with a razor-thin majority amid protests and plummeting popularity.—
Panarat Thepgumpanat,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Some of the rats even stimulated themselves to death.—
Ulrik Juul Christensen,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
In 1927, the superintendent of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in England found a witch’s broom growth — a kind of growth generally stimulated by a pathogen — growing at the base of a redwood tree.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instigated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigated. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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