instigate

verb

in·​sti·​gate ˈin(t)-stə-ˌgāt 

instigated; instigating

transitive verb

: to goad or urge forward : provoke

instigation

ˌin(t)-stə-ˈgā-shən 

noun

instigative

ˈin(t)-stə-ˌgā-tiv 

adjective

instigator

ˈin(t)-stə-ˌgā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

It's time to investigate the true meaning of instigate. Instigate is often used as a synonym of incite (as in "siblings instigating a fight"), but the two words differ slightly in their overall usage. Incite usually stresses an act of stirring something up that one did not necessarily initiate ("the court's decision incited riots"), while instigate implies responsibility for initiating or encouraging someone else's action, and usually suggests dubious or underhanded intent ("he was charged with instigating a conspiracy"). Coming from a form of the Latin verb instigare ("to urge on or provoke"), instigate stepped into English in the 1500s, roughly a century after incite.

Synonyms

• abet
• brew
• ferment
• foment
• incite
• pick
• provoke
• raise
• stir (up)
• whip (up)

Choose the Right Synonym for instigate

incite, instigate, abet, foment mean to spur to action.

incite stresses a stirring up and urging on, and may or may not imply initiating.

inciting a riot

instigate definitely implies responsibility for initiating another's action and often connotes underhandedness or evil intention.

instigated a conspiracy

abet implies both assisting and encouraging.

aiding and abetting the enemy

foment implies persistence in goading.

fomenting rebellion

Examples of instigate in a Sentence

There has been an increase in the amount of violence instigated by gangs.

The government has instigated an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Recent Examples on the Web

Election denialism had started sweeping across the country following the 2020 presidential election, based on lies perpetrated by many but ultimately instigated by the uncontested loser of that election, Trump. —Richard Behar, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Yet the chaotic transformation of Twitter into the increasingly extremist and conspiracist X has also opened up a new set of legal battles — so far mostly instigated by Musk himself. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2024

This dovetailed with one of the key political revelations of the ’70s: the litany of assassination and coup attempts in foreign nations instigated by the CIA, not to mention the FBI’s collusion in the murder of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Oct. 2024

In 1978: The Jonestown massacre of the Peoples Temple, a mass murder-suicide instigated by the group’s leader Jim Jones, occurred in Guyana, where the American cult had taken refuge. —Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin instigatus, past participle of instigare — more at stick

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

instigate

verb

in·​sti·​gate ˈin(t)-stə-ˌgāt 

instigated; instigating

: incite, provoke

instigation

ˌin(t)-stə-ˈgā-shən 

noun

instigator

ˈin(t)-stə-ˌgāt-ər 

noun