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
Hawkins joked that Heckel is usually the instigator of any trash talk between them, but there hasn’t been much jawing ahead of Monday’s second-round NCAA Tournament game.
—
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
In 2001, the United States and its allies stormed into Afghanistan, aiming to destroy the Taliban and round up the instigators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
—Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
An instigator all night long for the Chargers, the 5-foot-3 Dutkanych finally took in the scene around her before reaching up to softly rub a growing lump on her forehead, reddened by the ice.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Officers later reviewed security camera footage and identified Murff as the instigator of the altercation.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
While some see Nelly as an empathetic and motherly caretaker, others view her as a manipulative, calculating instigator who shapes the narrative to justify her own actions.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
Little has been accomplished, and Labour’s woes seem likely to benefit the Reform Party, a new nationalist, populist outfit led by the Brexit instigator Nigel Farage.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The instigators were allowed to go beyond peaceful protests to hindering law enforcement from doing their job which escalated with the result of two people tragically losing their lives.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Federal officials and the president himself were swift to label those killed as instigators.
—Dominik Dausch, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 28 Jan. 2026
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026
In 2001, the United States and its allies stormed into Afghanistan, aiming to destroy the Taliban and round up the instigators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
—Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
An instigator all night long for the Chargers, the 5-foot-3 Dutkanych finally took in the scene around her before reaching up to softly rub a growing lump on her forehead, reddened by the ice.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Officers later reviewed security camera footage and identified Murff as the instigator of the altercation.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
While some see Nelly as an empathetic and motherly caretaker, others view her as a manipulative, calculating instigator who shapes the narrative to justify her own actions.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
Little has been accomplished, and Labour’s woes seem likely to benefit the Reform Party, a new nationalist, populist outfit led by the Brexit instigator Nigel Farage.
—Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
The instigators were allowed to go beyond peaceful protests to hindering law enforcement from doing their job which escalated with the result of two people tragically losing their lives.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Federal officials and the president himself were swift to label those killed as instigators.
—Dominik Dausch, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigator
Noun
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The singer has long been a proponent of strict boundaries between celebrities, fans, and paparazzi.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
22 Mar. 2026
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The purpose of the bill is to protect jobs and to limit stress on workers and customers, proponents said.—
Kaitlin McCallum,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In her concession statement, McDonnell said her campaign had been to provide Republican voters with a choice to fill the open seat, thanking her supporters.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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While Lamont and gun safety advocates strongly favor the measure, supporters of the Second Amendment have been pushing back in both oral and written testimony to the judiciary committee that included more than 180 comments written anonymously.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Neither the artist’s team nor local promoters have issued an official statement regarding the cancellation or the rescheduling of the Milan concert, or possible adjustments to the immediate tour schedule.—
Franchesca Guim,
Billboard,
26 Mar. 2026
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Local venue and promoter pre-sale will begin on March 25, with tickets going on sale on March 27.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As the decade wore on, though, my parents grew up—as happens to young rebels—and my mother, unexpectedly, started thinking about having kids.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Their work and mental health were further disrupted when Houthi rebels in Yemen began attacking ships in the Red Sea, with at least nine sailors killed and 11 others held captive for five months.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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And these unlikely advocates are determined to use their voices for good.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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The underlying facts of the case are still to be ruled on, but the partial ruling on Friday was a big win for immigration advocates who had been fighting to shut down the controversial site.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Columbia students, along with outside agitators, broke into an academic building and temporarily detained the janitors inside.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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But other than Bedard and MacKenzie Weegar getting into it a couple of times, Mangiapane was the only real agitator the Blackhawks had.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Regardless of what kind of weapon was used, Bibring said firing any weapon at a demonstrator’s head qualifies as a use of lethal force, and nothing in the video shows Islas, or anyone else, acting threatening.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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From 2016 to 2019, the shipbuilder conducted multiple trials using a one-fifth-scale demonstrator with roughly 540 square feet of sail area to analyze aerodynamics, sail control, and structural behavior.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The growth has elevated her from partisan provocateur to one of the most influential — and polarizing — voices on the right.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
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On Saturday, two Pennsylvania teens who federal prosecutors said were radicalized by ISIS attempted to detonate IED’s at a protest led by right-wing provocateur Jake Lang outside Gracie Mansion.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigator. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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