1
as in excitement
something that arouses a strong response from another
without instigation of any kind, the man suddenly threw a punch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impetus
something that arouses action or activity
the promise of windfall profits was all the instigation they needed to invest in the scheme
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instigation
Three other people – two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s – were arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, the UK's Counter Terrorism Policing office said.
—
Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Three additional suspects -- two men and a woman -- were also taken into custody and arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, police said on Thursday.
—Morgan Winsor, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2025
Two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have also been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism in connection with the attack, police said.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Somehow, through its instigation of global disaster, AI can generally be framed as a moral phenomenon.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
At the instigation of president Charles de Gaulle, new towns began to emerge in France at the end of the 1960s as a counter to haphazard urban growth.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Three additional suspects -- two men and a woman -- were also taken into custody and arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, police said on Thursday.
—Morgan Winsor, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2025
Two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have also been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism in connection with the attack, police said.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Somehow, through its instigation of global disaster, AI can generally be framed as a moral phenomenon.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
At the instigation of president Charles de Gaulle, new towns began to emerge in France at the end of the 1960s as a counter to haphazard urban growth.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigation
Noun
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Fans on social media can barely contain their excitement over the announcement.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The exec emphasized his excitement about being in the country a few months after Salles’ history-making drama about Brazil’s military dictatorship, a film that also scored nominations for best picture and actress for Fernanda Torres.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The impetus for Redeux Style was to teach people how to create beautiful moments in their lives to be more sustainable.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
There was enough of an impetus, there was enough energy there.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The recent sighting provided encouragement to conservationists.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
6 Oct. 2025
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Redd offered encouragement and resources, including money for a hotel room.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Washington can stomach Sarr’s undisciplined shot diet because the team, still early in its rebuild, has little incentive to win right now.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Finance is full of bad incentives and outright exploitation.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To him, animal behavior was largely based on stimulus and response.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Oct. 2025
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The receptors in your hands respond to myriad stimuli-like pressures—vibrations in sync with 15 different families of neurons.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
No throwback footage was needed as motivation on Sunday; only clips of their opponent.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
And so that was the real motivation.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Beyond being fun, toys help dogs develop instincts, provide stimulation, and strengthen the bond between pets and their owners.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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These interactive toys—including a double-sided picture book, soft rainbow kicker, and plush hanging toys—offer lots of stimulation and tons of fun.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigation. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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