Skip to main content
to instigate

to instigate

36 6.9
To cause something bad to start
  • verb
  • /ˈɪnstəˌɡeɪt/
translation icon : incitar
  • In that case, the company reserved the right to instigate legal proceedings to recover real or possible damages.
  • instigate violence
  • instigate a conflict
  • instigate change

And I think none of this instigates respect.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Charles Ponzi instigated one of the most famous financial frauds in history.

  • And I think the question is whether this will instigate any changes.

  • And I think when when you bring women in, they instigate their own change.

  • Changing circumstances, such as marriage and the birth of children, instigate changes in our priorities.

    Academic text (1996)
  • In order to instigate revolutionary change, we must transform human consciousness.

  • The teacher is simply instigating the conversation and keeping things on task.

    Academic text (2008)
  • They instigated a program known as the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program or AATIP.

  • The recent scandal may instigate protests across the country.

  • His irresponsible remarks could instigate violence among the crowd.

  • The government's decision to cut funding could instigate a backlash from the community.

Synonyms

to cause
vsto instigate
1.0

To make something happen

is narrower, often used for deliberately starting bad or harmful events
to inspire
vsto instigate
837 3.2

Cause someone to feel excited and ready to act

is different in tone, aiming at negative or harmful results not positive motivation
to initiate
vsto instigate
426 4.5

To start something such as a project or discussion

is more about provoking harmful results rather than simply starting processes
to prompt
vsto instigate
217 3.6

Make someone do or say something

is stronger, focusing on provoking bad or undesirable actions rather than gentle prompting
to bring about
vsto instigate
203 3.0

To make something happen

is similar but often implies causing negative or undesirable events specifically
to induce
vsto instigate
168 5.3

Cause a process, event, or feeling to start

is more about deliberate provoking of bad results than generally causing things
to pick
vsto instigate
165 4.8

To start a fight or argument by annoying someone

is broader, can cause bad events generally not only personal quarrels
to set off
vsto instigate
131 3.1

To cause something to start or happen

is more about provoking bad outcomes rather than neutral triggers
to set
vsto instigate
  • NSFW
118 8.2

To make an animal or person attack someone

is broader, leading to harmful outcomes beyond direct attacks
to provoke
vsto instigate
115 3.7

Cause a reaction or feeling

is broader, causing bad or undesirable events not only reactions
to bring on
vsto instigate
81 3.5

Cause something, often a sickness or a bad feeling, to start

is close but less focused on deliberate provocation for harm
to incite
vsto instigate
  • NSFW
72 7.7

To push people to do violent or illegal acts

is broader, causing bad events not only violent acts
to give rise
vsto instigate
  • Formal
49 3.5

Make something happen

is comparable but usually used for negative outcomes in this context
to stir up
vsto instigate
48 4.8

To make people feel strong emotions like anger or fear

is more general, causing bad events beyond emotional reactions
to agitate
vsto instigate
42 4.8

To make people feel strongly excited or upset

is more about causing actions or bad events rather than feelings alone
to inflame
vsto instigate
31 5.8

To make people's feelings stronger, especially anger or hate

is broader, causing bad events rather than just stronger emotions
to engender
vsto instigate
  • Formal
26 6.9

To make a feeling or situation start

is narrower toward deliberately provoking harmful outcomes rather than general development
to foment
vsto instigate
  • Formal
21 8.4

To cause people to start trouble or violence

aims to encourage negative actions rather than simply causing events
to beget
vsto instigate
19 7.9

To cause something to happen or exist

is similar but usually stresses deliberate provocation of bad acts here
to stir the pot
vsto instigate
  • Informal
8 8.0

To cause trouble by saying things to make people argue

is broader, applying to causing harmful outcomes beyond group disputes
to fan the flames
vsto instigate
  • Informal
8 7.2

To make an argument or feeling worse by encouraging it

focuses on causing bad events generally rather than intensifying existing ones
to get a rise out of
vsto instigate
  • Informal
8 6.8

Make someone angry or annoyed on purpose by teasing them

is wider, causing harmful events rather than only personal annoyance
to cause a stir
vsto instigate
6 4.0

Make people feel excited or upset and attract attention

is more focused on causing harmful or undesirable events rather than attention
to stir trouble
vsto instigate
  • Informal
5 5.3

To cause fights or problems between people on purpose

is broader, covering any bad events not only group disorder
to inflame tensions
vsto instigate
  • Literature
1 7.4

Make people more angry and cause conflict between groups

is broader, able to cause many kinds of bad events rather than just hostility
to inflame public opinion
vsto instigate
  • Literature
1 7.7

To make many people feel angry or shocked about something

is broader, causing bad events beyond stirring mass opinion
to shit-stir
vsto instigate
  • Offensive
9.9

To say or do things that cause arguments and make people angry

covers causing bad events more broadly, not only spreading quarrels
to stir up drama
vsto instigate
  • Informal
7.0

To cause trouble between people to get attention

focuses more widely on causing bad events rather than needless conflict
to create friction
vsto instigate
4.6

To cause disagreement between people or groups

is broader, covering causing bad results beyond interpersonal tension
to actuate
vsto instigate
7.0

To make someone act because of a feeling or reason

is more often about starting bad events rather than general motivation

Antonyms

2.3

Stop something from happening or someone from doing it

How Provoking

to foment
  • Formal
21 8.4
to incite
  • NSFW
72 7.7
to instigate
36 6.9
to provoke
115 3.7
to spark
154 3.4
to cause
1.0
to encourage
2.3

Surface Forms

instigate infinitive
instigated past
instigated past participle
instigating present participle
instigates third person singular

Etymology

Instigate comes from Latin parts in- meaning 'into' and stigare meaning 'to prick' or 'sting', like a small 'poke' that makes someone move. So to instigate is to 'poke' people into action, often starting trouble or something bad.