as in proponents
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 instigators
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
Snowstorms are the most frequent instigators of massive flight delays and cancellations at the area's big airports.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The team found that artificial sweetener Stevia, as well as compounds released by our own gut cells, were the main instigators in activating these gut phages.
—New Atlas, 16 Oct. 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
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
But that would do more harm, Nicole Lee said, disproportionately affecting young people of color and wrongfully assuming that youths are the main instigators of violence.
—Terry Tang, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
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
Snowstorms are the most frequent instigators of massive flight delays and cancellations at the area's big airports.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The team found that artificial sweetener Stevia, as well as compounds released by our own gut cells, were the main instigators in activating these gut phages.
—New Atlas, 16 Oct. 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
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
But that would do more harm, Nicole Lee said, disproportionately affecting young people of color and wrongfully assuming that youths are the main instigators of violence.
—Terry Tang, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigators
Noun
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What’s more, proponents of attachment parenting also indicate that carried babies tend to be happy babies and spend more time alert and observing their environment.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
22 Feb. 2026
-
But many believers and UAP disclosure proponents remain optimistic.—
Brett Tingley,
Space.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But despite their usefulness, Nguyen warns that metrics are still limited as promoters of values and goals.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The conference will cover a number of topics relevant to musical artists, venue operators, and festival and event promoters.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Both largely blamed outside agitators, noting that conservative influencers urged people to attend the meeting and several of the speakers came from surrounding towns.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
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This, in my view, would have kept these agitators away from ICE agents, and almost certainly would have prevented both deaths.—
Michael Zais,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One Irish supporters’ club group had 35 fans coming to the home meeting with Everton in November, a number that more than halved to 15 when the game was switched to a Monday night.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Park service workers last month abruptly removed exhibits from the Philadelphia site, prompting the city and other supporters of the exhibit to sue.—
Maryclaire Dale,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Only a few of her captors speak French, so most of her days are spent nonverbally (and Depardon reinforces the isolation by not subtitling the rebels’ dialogue in their native language).—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2026
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Despite denim enthusiasts often being drawn to traditionally masculine iconography—such as the Wild West, cowboys, and Hollywood rebels like Marlon Brando and James Dean—what truly defines the subculture is a deep appreciation for nostalgia, freedom, and self-expression.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There were right-wing provocateurs coming to town.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
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Third parties, which are usually based on fringe views or a sense of grievance, are vehicles for ideologues, provocateurs and contrarians whose appeal is as limited as their problem-solving skills.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Environmental advocates opposed relying on voluntary agreements as the plan’s primary pathway, instead pushing for firm, enforceable minimum flow standards, while water agencies continued to support the voluntary approach.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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The planned construction has drawn criticism from environmental advocates and local activists, who are urging Congress to halt the project.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Those funds often backed far-right Republican insurgents.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Amid the nods to social media and cancel culture and the shallow perils of modern celebrity, the image of Taylor-Joy’s disciplined group of insurgents, who speak in almost archaic, poetic dialogue, strikes a bracing contrast.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instigators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigators. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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