incite

[ in-sahyt ]

See synonyms for: incite incited inciting incitation on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),in·cit·ed, in·cit·ing.

to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action: to incite a crowd to riot.

Origin of incite

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin incitāre, from in- in-² + citāre “to move repeatedly, set in motion, summon” (see cite¹)

synonym study For incite

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.

Other words for incite

instigate, provoke, goad, spur, arouse, exhort; fire; induce

See synonyms for incite on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for incite

discourage

See antonyms for incite on Thesaurus.com

Other words from incite

in·cit·a·ble, adjective
in·cit·ant, adjective, noun
in·ci·ta·tion [in-sahy-tey-shuhn, -si-], /ˌɪn saɪˈteɪ ʃən, -sɪ-/, noun
in·cit·er, noun
in·cit·ing·ly, adverb
re·in·cite, verb (used with object), re·in·cit·ed, re·in·cit·ing.
un·in·cit·ed, adjective

Words that may be confused with incite

incite , insight

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use incite in a sentence

Facebook had also removed two videos from his page for inciting violence.
Facebook takes down a widespread network of pages tied to Stephen Bannon for pushing misinformation | Elizabeth Dwoskin | November 9, 2020 | Washington Post
Both companies say they will remove posts that incite violence.
Five ways political groups are getting around ad bans | Tate Ryan-Mosley | November 3, 2020 | MIT Technology Review
The pages and users who incite the attacks are not reviewed to such a degree as LGBTQ pages and users, and the disproportionate censoring could be due to the algorithms and systems in place, they said.
Transgender activist once again banned from Facebook page | Kaela Roeder | October 30, 2020 | Washington Blade
Since then, the board has demanded that Facebook try harder by deleting posts that prematurely claim one of the candidates has won and better enforcing its prohibition against hate groups and inciting violence.
Facebook’s fight against outside oversight | Danielle Abril | October 29, 2020 | Fortune
Spotify says on its website it bans material that “promotes, advocates, or incites hatred or violence against a group or individual” based on certain characteristics, but doesn’t say it removes material simply because it’s false.
Spotify draws fire over Alex Jones’s claims in Joe Rogan podcast | Verne Kopytoff | October 28, 2020 | Fortune

They were found guilty of practicing habitual debauchery and inciting others to sexual deviance because of the footage.
Sisi Is Persecuting, Prosecuting, and Publicly Shaming Egypt’s Gays | Bel Trew | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
On top of inciting violence that led to the death of a 16-year-old boy, it was confusing to residents.
Meet the Liberian Girls Beating Ebola | Abby Haglage | October 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
By inciting individual sympathizers to carry out attacks in Western countries, ISIS believes it can advance its cause at no cost.
Lone Wolves, Terrorist Runts, and the Stray Dogs of ISIS | Jacob Siegel | October 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Isaacs says that the epidemic is inciting panic worldwide that, in his opinion, may soon be warranted.
Ebola Experts Warn of an African ‘Apocalypse’ | Abby Haglage | August 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Dobkin, was arrested Monday on charges of ‘inciting separatism’ in a dramatic move that has sent shock waves through the region.
Is Kharkiv Ukraine’s Next Tipping Point? | Vijai Maheshwari | March 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
They were cursed by the Church as trappings of the Devil, inciting the wearer to foul deeds and intrigue.
The Medici Boots | Pearl Norton Swet
He had previously been sent to prison for inciting to the Plan of Campaign, and for criminal conspiracy.
Is Ulster Right? | Anonymous
Perhaps his patrons were engaged in too serious crimes to waste their energy in inciting him to petty persecutions of Ralegh.
Sir Walter Ralegh | William Stebbing
Here were poor innocent working men, and here was this bloodthirsty swash-buckler inciting their own brothers to slay them.
Thirty Years in Australia | Ada Cambridge
In Greece, on the other hand, Russian partisans succeeded in inciting the populace to revolt.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year | Edwin Emerson

British Dictionary definitions for incite

incite

/ (ɪnˈsaɪt) /

verb

(tr) to stir up or provoke to action

Origin of incite

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

Derived forms of incite

incitation, noun
incitement, noun
inciter, noun
incitingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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