instigate
- to cause by incitement; foment: to instigate a quarrel.
- to urge, provoke, or incite to some action or course: to instigate the people to revolt.
Origin of instigate
Synonyms for instigate
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for instigate
plot, abet, prompt, initiate, incite, inflame, kindle, spur, foment, urge, scheme, raise, hint, actuate, needle, move, insinuate, goad, impel, startExamples from the Web for instigate
Contemporary Examples of instigate
The liberated soul does not cease to act, to think, to create, to instigate revolutionary flows.
Republicans will continue to avoid a grand bargain and instigate crises.
As such, the U.A.E. is not a bad place to instigate change in the region.
And he is at a stage in his life now where he can instigate projects.
He's always trying to instigate and stuff like that, and my friends back home don't do that.
Historical Examples of instigate
To instigate, incite, provoke, to urge on: from the Anglo-Saxon eggion.
The Sailor's Word-BookWilliam Henry Smyth
How does abet differ from incite and instigate as to the time of the action?
English Synonyms and AntonymsJames Champlin Fernald
I have let you recruit criminals and instigate riots while you live in my mansion.
The Saracen: Land of the InfidelRobert Shea
So many favors from heaven were calculated to instigate the malice of hell.
What might instigate him to this devilish act, I am not able to conjecture.
The Diary of John Evelyn, Volume II (of 2)John Evelyn
instigate
- to bring about, as by incitement or urgingto instigate rebellion
- to urge on to some drastic or inadvisable action
Word Origin for instigate
Word Origin and History for instigate
1540s, back-formation from instigation or else from Latin instigatus, past participle of instigare "to urge on, incite" (see instigation). Related: Instigated; instigates; instigating.