incitement

[in-sahyt-muhnt]

noun

1. the act of inciting.

2. the state of being incited.

3. motive; incentive.

Other Word Forms

• nonincitement noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of incitement¹

1585–95; incite + -ment; compare Latin incitāmentum

Example Sentences

Melanie Phillips, a columnist for the Times of London, says the attack in Manchester “took place against the backdrop of two years of demonization, incitement and intimidation directed at the Jewish community.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Inflammatory rhetoric, and even the incitement and praise of violence, is simply laughed off under the auspices of humor and pushed aside by a brief or private apology.

Read more on Salon

"So how's he responded? He's responded by co-ordinating the most unprecedented vilification and campaign of incitement to violence against the man who, frankly, he knows he cannot beat at the ballot box," he said.

Read more on BBC

Along with his call for the overthrow of the government, some might argue that his words at the rally were an incitement to violence.

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Supreme Court precedents have set the bar very high on what counts as an incitement to violence.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• instigation 
• provocation