incite

[in-sahyt]

verb (used with object)

incited, inciting 

1. to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action.

   to incite a crowd to riot.

   Synonyms: induce, fire, exhort, arouse, spur, goad, provoke, instigate
   Antonyms: discourage

incite

/ ɪnˈsaɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to stir up or provoke to action

Other Word Forms

• incitation noun
• inciter noun
• incitement noun
• incitingly adverb
• incitable adjective
• incitant adjective
• reincite verb (used with object)
• unincited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of incite¹

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin incitāre, from in- in- ² + citāre “to move repeatedly, set in motion, summon” ( cite ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of incite¹

C15: from Latin incitāre, from _in- ² + citāre to excite

Synonym Study

Incite, rouse, provoke, inflame are verbs meaning to goad or inspire an individual or a group to take some action or to express some feeling. Incite and rouse are similar in that, although they can imply in some contexts abrasive or inflammatory arousal of violent or uncontrolled behavior, neither necessarily does so. Incite means simply to induce activity, of whatever kind: incited to greater effort by encouragement; incited to riot. Rouse has an underlying sense of awakening: to rouse the apathetic soldiers to a determination to win; to rouse the inattentive public to an awareness of the danger. Provoke implies a sense of challenge or irritation along with arousal and often suggests a resultant anger or violence: provoked by scathing references to his accomplishments; to provoke a wave of resentment. Inflame, with its root sense to set afire, implies a resultant intensity and passion: to inflame a mob by fiery speeches; He was inflamed to rage by constant frustration.

Example Sentences

However, it has been cleared of breaching the BBC's rules on impartiality and being likely to encourage or incite crime.

From BBC

"For the past two days, attempts have been made to incite people, and the protest held here was compared to those held in Bangladesh and Nepal. This smells of a conspiracy," he said.

From BBC

Alter, a tenured professor, was fired earlier this month and accused by Texas State University President Kelly Damphouse of “inciting violence” for a recent speech at a socialist conference.

From Salon

Recently the White House threatened to punish what they alleged was a left-wing network that funds and incites violence.

From Los Angeles Times

The policies include a new definition of what counts as a disruption to include “speech or conduct that is likely to incite an immediate breach of the peace.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abet 
• agitate 
• arouse 
• encourage 
• exhort 
• foment 
• inflame 
• inspire 
• instigate 
• motivate 
• prompt 
• provoke 
• rouse 
• set off 
• spur 
• trigger 
• urge 
• whip up