instigator

noun

Definition of instigatornext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigator
  1. proponent
  2. supporter
  3. promoter
  4. rebel
  5. advocate
  6. agitator
  7. demonstrator
  8. firebrand
Noun
  • And, unlike financial commitments made at the UN climate conference, this decision would put rules in place that proponents say would be hard for the incoming Trump administration to undo.
    Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2024
  • In 2023, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the opponents, halting the project, but proponents petitioned the Supreme Court to review that decision.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of proponent
Noun
  • The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, is one of Putin’s staunchest backers and a vocal supporter of the war in Ukraine.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The comments, published in 2023 biography of Romney, were sparked by Vance's transformation from a Trump critic to a staunch supporter.
    Zac Anderson, The Enquirer, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of supporter
Noun
  • Trump's pick for the head of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been a staunch promoter of anti-vaccination policies and has pushed for the end of fluoride in water supplies.
    Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 26 Nov. 2024
  • Yet the volume of the commentary about the Tyson fight, as well as the celebrities and public figures who chimed in, compelled the promoter to defend itself, an unusual step in the boxing world.
    Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 25 Nov. 2024
Definition of promoter
Noun
  • Israel, Iran race to cement relations with Syrian rebels The sudden fall this weekend of the Assad regime, long backed by Iran and allied with its proxy forces in the region, represented a welcome development for Netanyahu.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
  • As Bashar al-Assad's government collapsed and Syrian rebels rose to power, Israel embarked on an extensive bombing campaign, purportedly aimed at disarming extremists who may rise to power during the unrest.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of rebel
Noun
  • In high-performing leadership teams, each leader is not only seen as a subject matter expert but also as a passionate advocate for the company’s goals, fostering trust and alignment across all stakeholders.
    Marina Cvetkovic, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
  • But, over the past decade, disability rights advocates have increasingly pushed companies to end the lower pay practice, describing it as discriminatory, dehumanizing and exploitative.
    Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
Definition of advocate
Noun
  • Elphaba is radicalized into terrorism when her favorite college professor, the Goat and Animal rights agitator Doctor Dillamond, is assassinated by the government.
    Constance Grady, Vox, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Days earlier, Spanish media reported that anti-Israel agitators would protest outside the stadium to target Israel’s soccer club and its fans.
    Scott McDonald, Fox News, 8 Nov. 2024
Definition of agitator
Noun
  • On November 25, during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, police deployed teargas to disperse a small group of demonstrators who gathered despite harsh weather conditions.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Some 700 miles to the north, the shouts of protesters and pops from their fireworks can be heard in the streets of Tbilisi, Georgia, where demonstrators continue their weeks-long call for an end to the pro-Russian ruling party in parliament and entry into the European Union.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of demonstrator
Noun
  • House Republican leader, Newt Gingrich, led a rebellion against the package, and conservative firebrand Pat Buchanan challenged Bush in the 1992 primaries, weakening Bush's bid for a second term.
    Ron Elving, NPR, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Now, the former prosecutor and conservative firebrand’s political career hangs by a thread, with an impeachment motion against him underway and the country’s leader rapidly losing support even within his own ruling party.
    Helen Regan, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of firebrand
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near instigator

instigative

instigator

instigators

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Cite this Entry

“Instigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigator. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on instigator

Nglish: Translation of instigator for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of instigator for Arabic Speakers

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