1
as in excitement
something that arouses a strong response from another
the rabble-rousing speech was seen by many as an incitation to ethnic violence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity
a mild heart attack was all the incitation he needed to adopt an exercise regimen and a healthy diet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incitation
But one chat room over, the server was filled with racist memes, sexist and ableist slurs, antisemitic messages, and incitations of violence against women and people of color.
—
Ash Parrish, The Verge, 18 Mar. 2024
Between these voices of reason and incitation, between these two seemingly different men, lie 22 years of power and five American presidents.
—New York Times, 26 Mar. 2022
Bolsonaro will still have to stand trial for accusations of slander and incitation to rape.
—Mauricio Savarese, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2018
Ash Parrish, The Verge, 18 Mar. 2024
Between these voices of reason and incitation, between these two seemingly different men, lie 22 years of power and five American presidents.
—New York Times, 26 Mar. 2022
Bolsonaro will still have to stand trial for accusations of slander and incitation to rape.
—Mauricio Savarese, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incitation
Noun
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Regardless of where the fan base fell in its opinion of Billups, there has been a palpable excitement for this season.—
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Halloween is just around the corner, and excitement is building across the state.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Feeling some heat from next door, New York sweetened its incentive package in its latest budget earlier this year.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
28 Oct. 2025
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This geopolitical calculus is complicated by immediate economic incentives.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Our amygdala is overactive, our nervous systems are fried and our dopamine cycles are hijacked by short-term stimuli.—
Chris Schembra,
Rolling Stone,
22 Oct. 2025
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These hybrid materials can reversibly change shape when exposed to different stimuli, thanks to the predictable nature of DNA pairing and the stability provided by inorganic components such as gold or graphene oxide.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Stamford and Columbia University have committed to research using The Pippins as the impetus, according to Chris Norton.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
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Part of the impetus for all these openings is the same reason Las Vegas is so primed for these restaurants in the first place.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Many social media users responded with their personal experiences and words of encouragement for Leila.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
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There were other signs of encouragement, like Diouf and Crysencio Summerville’s left-wing partnership, plus Freddie Potts’ solid cameo appearance.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The motivation appears to be part national defense (deterring China) and part branding exercise.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Oct. 2025
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The players’ motivation in this match is different.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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If medications aren't effective, other options may include Botox injections into the bladder wall or nerve stimulation therapy.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
25 Oct. 2025
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While outdoor time can offer stimulation and exercise, unsupervised access poses serious risks that significantly reduce their life span.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incitation. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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