instigative

adjective

Definition of instigativenext
as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction she is no stranger to controversy, having penned several instigative and inflammatory books attacking liberals

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigative
  1. provocative
  2. charged
Adjective
  • The manager, Jordan Perry, whose theater has a history of provocative messaging, didn’t respond to Jewish Telegraphic Agency requests for comment.
    — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Increasingly, the answer comes in the form of an intimacy coordinator — a role that Araki, long known for embracing provocative themes, employed for the first time on this project.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of provocative
Adjective
  • The result is an urgent, propulsive song with a raw spirit and some of Pop’s most super-charged writing with deceptively simple lyrics about love and war, dripping with desperation.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of charged
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.

Browse Nearby Words

instigations
instigative
instigator
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Cite this Entry

“Instigative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigative. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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