as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
an artist who deliberately creates instigating works of art that are sure to arouse controversy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in provoking
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the medical breakthrough instigated a whole new field of therapy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraging
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the charge that the scene in the movie had instigated teenagers to commit similar acts of vandalism
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instigating
ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Some of its members and those of some of its sister organizations have been implicated in – or accused of - instigating attacks against India's Muslim and Christian minorities.
—Rob Schmitz, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
Peters was also arrested earlier this year on misdemeanor battery charges after reportedly instigating a fight between two women and exploiting them by posting the footage online.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 15 Apr. 2026
Reps for Prince Harry, who is no stranger to instigating court moves himself or showing up in the High Court, were equally blunt in their response to the blunt accusations.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2026
Hitting, fighting, penalty killing, chirping, instigating, leading — all of the intangibles Hathaway brings were invaluable to the culture that the organization has been attempting to methodically build.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The kind of instigating prompt was my former teacher, the author Lydia Yuknavitch, asking where the rage lived in my work, because Long Live was so much about forgiveness and tenderness and understanding.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
Massie has had a contentious relationship with GOP leaders, often voting against priority legislation and instigating the release of the Epstein files, which Trump had long opposed.
—Dan Mangan,garrett Downs,spencer Kimball,megan Sauer, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
The film, which screened at the Cannes Film Festival, shows LaBeouf berating actors and crew members, instigating a fistfight and engaging in other aggressive behavior.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
The French president warned against instigating panic with talk about fuel shortages as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz from which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
Some of its members and those of some of its sister organizations have been implicated in – or accused of - instigating attacks against India's Muslim and Christian minorities.
—Rob Schmitz, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
Peters was also arrested earlier this year on misdemeanor battery charges after reportedly instigating a fight between two women and exploiting them by posting the footage online.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 15 Apr. 2026
Reps for Prince Harry, who is no stranger to instigating court moves himself or showing up in the High Court, were equally blunt in their response to the blunt accusations.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2026
Hitting, fighting, penalty killing, chirping, instigating, leading — all of the intangibles Hathaway brings were invaluable to the culture that the organization has been attempting to methodically build.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The kind of instigating prompt was my former teacher, the author Lydia Yuknavitch, asking where the rage lived in my work, because Long Live was so much about forgiveness and tenderness and understanding.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
Massie has had a contentious relationship with GOP leaders, often voting against priority legislation and instigating the release of the Epstein files, which Trump had long opposed.
—Dan Mangan,garrett Downs,spencer Kimball,megan Sauer, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
The film, which screened at the Cannes Film Festival, shows LaBeouf berating actors and crew members, instigating a fistfight and engaging in other aggressive behavior.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigating
Adjective
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Founded by multi-hyphenate filmmaker Garelick in the fall of 2017, American High is a production company specializing in provocative teen comedies that operates out of a former school in Syracuse, NY.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
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An exception is when the goal of provocative or controversial material is prosocial rather than selfish—to challenge discrimination and foster productive dialogue on social issues rather than to sensationalize or garner ratings and profit.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The anti-camping bill, HB 1365, allowed residents to sue their local governments for non-enforcement, provoking fears that people with nowhere to sleep but the streets could face arrest.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
Aliens, dystopian nightmares, and twisted realities are more than likely provoking a reaction from viewers that flies a lot closer to terrified.—
Grace Dean,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Iranian officials are encouraging the population to consume less electricity and gas, as a US blockade has interrupted the flow of shipments to Iran.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
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Now there’s emphasis on offense, teaching it and coaching it and encouraging it.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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At a charged political moment, her relatively sober look seemed intended to keep the focus on POTUS.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
12 Dec. 2025
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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
Verb
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In 2024, Hamilton shared posts on X promoting misinformation about FEMA spending during Hurricane Helene.—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
The administration is using hype footage from video games in official military videos promoting the conflict with Iran.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Desires run deep on April 28, as Venus in Gemini meets with Pluto in Aquarius, creating one of the most magnetic and intellectually stimulating trines of the season.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
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Key Takeaways Eating a small handful of arugula before meals may gently support digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes, stomach acid, and bile.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The breakthrough came recently when an ICE collection allowed Catalan-Torreblanca's DNA profile to be entered into CODIS, triggering a match to the crime scenes.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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The one-page US proposal sought to declare an end to the war while triggering a 30-day negotiation period to resolve sticking points, including on nuclear issues, frozen Iranian assets and security in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a regional source familiar with the negotiations.—
Jennifer Hansler,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Since the event’s conception in 2013, more than 60,000 donors have helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties raising more than $117 million, according to the Sacramento Region Community Foundation.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
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Clark’s legal team has also highlighted the role of the lead detective in the case, who was later convicted in an unrelated matter involving perjury and evidence tampering, further raising questions about the original investigation.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instigating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigating. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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