1
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the medical breakthrough instigated a whole new field of therapy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to encourage
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the charge that the scene in the movie had instigated teenagers to commit similar acts of vandalism
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instigate
But even if Khamenei was content to suffer a prolonged war and the casualties that come with it, there still exists the growing threat of a regime change being instigated by the conflict.
—
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 18 June 2025
Trent Frederic instigated a fight with Florida’s Sam Bennett, and Bennett took him to the ice.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2025
Safe Return is also designed to instigate an automatic landing if the pilot does not initiate any inputs for more than 30 minutes at cruise and does not respond to prompts, or shorter intervals at very high altitudes where hypoxia is more likely to occur.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 13 May 2025
What Trump and immigration czar Tom Homan are attempting to do is to instigate a problem.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for instigate
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 18 June 2025
Trent Frederic instigated a fight with Florida’s Sam Bennett, and Bennett took him to the ice.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2025
Safe Return is also designed to instigate an automatic landing if the pilot does not initiate any inputs for more than 30 minutes at cruise and does not respond to prompts, or shorter intervals at very high altitudes where hypoxia is more likely to occur.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 13 May 2025
What Trump and immigration czar Tom Homan are attempting to do is to instigate a problem.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for instigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigate
Verb
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Don't run away or climb a tree, which may provoke a chase.—
Kaycee Sloan,
The Enquirer,
8 July 2025
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Run adversarial simulations, employ red teams, and commission third-party evaluations that deliberately try to provoke harmful behaviors.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
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If your plants are still fruiting towards the end of the season, cut away any small fruit and lingering flowers to encourage your plant to spend its remaining energy ripening the last few cucumbers on the vine.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 July 2025
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The editorial also criticized health benefit eligibility after eight years of service — a policy many cities use to encourage continuity and long-term commitment.—
Josh Levy,
Sun Sentinel,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Investigators found no evidence of a client list or blackmail scheme involving prominent individuals, contradicting years of speculation and conspiracy theories that both Patel and Bongino had previously promoted.—
Adeola Adeosun
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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Benson Boone has spent 2025 promoting his new album American Heart, which debuted on the Billboard charts just a few weeks ago.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Doing so could stimulate economic growth, and would be warmly welcomed by the White House and investors.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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Examples include flashing notifications that make your phone jump and squeak, colorful rewards when others like your posts, and algorithms that push out the most emotional content to stimulate your most base emotions of anger, shame or glee.—
Lisa Schirch,
The Conversation,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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