as in proponent
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
an instigator who always managed to be innocently standing by once the fighting began
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Recent Examples of instigator
But while Josh may be the instigator, none of this would be remotely possible without George.
—
Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Jia is critical of this, making references to the 2008 Beijing Olympics as an instigator to rapid growth across the country.
—Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
Naming an interstate war based on the state in which the war is fought – while omitting the name of outside instigators – implies the culpability of that state.
—Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
One of the main instigators, Starboard Value, is back for more.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
Interlune’s instigator and intellectual godfather is an 89-year-old former astronaut, Harrison Schmitt, who serves as executive chairman.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
Lee, seeking to move past a military takeover attempt by his predecessor, positioned himself as a facilitator of dialogue rather than an instigator of confrontation.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Dana being one of them, Robby obviously being one, and Santos being, in some way, the instigator or the catalyst for that whole story to fall apart.
—EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Ben Church, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Jia is critical of this, making references to the 2008 Beijing Olympics as an instigator to rapid growth across the country.
—Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
Naming an interstate war based on the state in which the war is fought – while omitting the name of outside instigators – implies the culpability of that state.
—Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
One of the main instigators, Starboard Value, is back for more.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
Interlune’s instigator and intellectual godfather is an 89-year-old former astronaut, Harrison Schmitt, who serves as executive chairman.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
Lee, seeking to move past a military takeover attempt by his predecessor, positioned himself as a facilitator of dialogue rather than an instigator of confrontation.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Dana being one of them, Robby obviously being one, and Santos being, in some way, the instigator or the catalyst for that whole story to fall apart.
—EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigator
Noun
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Massive Attack have also joined a separate but parallel drive to pull music from Spotify altogether; proponents of that movement primarily cite founder Daniel Ek’s investment in weapons contractor Helsing, which is not linked to Israel.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
6 Oct. 2025
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With Newsom’s signature now on AB 1340, drivers can collectively bargain and unionize, including negotiating contracts, which would set industry-wide standards, according to proponents like bill sponsors Assemblymembers Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, and Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Miami philanthropists Trish and Dan Bell, who have given millions to different organizations across South Florida, are longtime supporters of the Foundation and are members of the Golden Angel Society, the Foundation’s premier giving group.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
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The statue is still standing years later amid a pushback from supporters, who see Columbus as a symbol of Italian American pride.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Then, that night, Turki Al-Sheikh, a Saudi Arabian government official and sports promoter, posted on social-media platform X that United were close to being sold.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Swift said of the music mogul and promoter who helps the NFL select the Super Bowl act in recent seasons.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Alcalá has pleaded guilty to collaborating with Colombia’s FARC rebels.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The rebels also cited the need to take out the massive scam operations as justification for their offensive – which analysts say China likely greenlit.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Laurene Allen, an environmental advocate who lives in Merrimack, New Hampshire, where PFNA was one of several forever chemicals discovered in drinking water in 2016, was awaiting the report and is frustrated and enraged by its delay.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025
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Immigrant rights advocates argue injured workers, regardless of their legal status, are entitled to workers' comp under state law.—
Arpan Lobo,
Freep.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The cases range from political agitators seeking to intimidate immigrants to others using the guise of authority to allegedly kidnap, rob or assault victims.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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Country music’s premier agitator, Gavin Adcock, is also on the lineup.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Local media reports state that over 3,000 people marched on the bridge while two demonstrators hung themselves on either side of the bridge.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Under that contract, Ursa Major is serving as lead integrator for a tactical flight demonstrator that will showcase Draper’s use for hypersonic applications.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Like Bevan, Sheen is a Welsh firebrand unafraid to wear his leftist politics.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
5 Oct. 2025
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Labour has slumped to around 20% in recent polls, while Reform UK – the upstart hard-right party led by firebrand Nigel Farage – has surged to around 35%, the same share that Labour won last year.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigator. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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