instigate

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properly means 'to bring about by excitement or persuasion, to foment or provoke', and usually refers to an antisocial or discreditable action, such as violence, wars, revolts, riots, acts of terrorism, or political coups:

... a radical association that...instigated campus riots that succeeded in closing down a number of universities over a period of months in 1969—New Yorker, 1975.

Because of its similarity of form to institute, it has been increasingly used in the more neutral meaning 'to start or set up', with reference to formal activities such as inquiries, legal proceedings, reviews, and searches:

The objective of this new phase is to...instigate legal, policy and institutional reforms at the country level—Lloyd's List, 2007.

Passive uses are common:

The scam has already been the subject of a Welsh television documentary, instigated by Richard's early research—news website, British English 2003 [Old English (up to 1150)C].

With so many synonyms available (institute, initiate, launch, establish, inaugurate, etc.), it is a pity that instigate cannot be reserved to its special and useful meaning, but to insist on this now is to support a lost cause, further undermined by the more casual use of the derivative noun instigation, idiomatically in the phrase at the instigation of

(At Houston's instigation, local jazzmen would play for the youngsters at assemblies and school dances—Guardian, 2007).

We might however continue to fight a rearguard action against the use of instigate with a personal object in place of more suitable words such as encourage and incite:

☒ Another group drove civilian vehicles and distributed weapons to the people, instigating them to kill the American troops—weblog, American English 2004 [Old English (up to 1150)C].

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verb

To stir to action or feeling: egg on, excite, foment, galvanize, goad, impel, incite, inflame, inspire, motivate, move, pique, prick, prod, prompt, propel, provoke, set off, spur, stimulate, touch off, trigger, work up. See cause/effect, excite/bore/interest.

v

Definition: influence, provoke
Antonyms: halt, prevent, stop

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

To incite, stimulate, or induce into action; goad into an unlawful or bad action, such as a crime.

The term instigate is used synonymously with abet, which is the intentional encouragement or aid of another individual in committing a crime.

For a list of words related to instigate, see:

• Strategy and Tactics - instigate: (vb) incite or provoke to action

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See words rhyming with "instigate."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Instigate.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - opfordre, tilskynde, fremkalde, anspore, provokere, sætte i gang, igangsætte

Nederlands (Dutch)
aansporen, aanzetten, in werking zetten

Français (French)
v. tr. - lancer (une attaque, une grève), ouvrir (une enquête), engager (une procédure)

Deutsch (German)
v. - in Gang bringen, anstiften, aufhetzen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - εξωθώ, παρακινώ, παροτρύνω, υποκινώ, υποδαυλίζω

Italiano (Italian)
istigare, aizzare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - instigar

Русский (Russian)
подстрекать, провоцировать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - instigar, incitar, fomentar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - egga, (upp)mana, anstifta, uppvigla till

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
唆使, 煽动, 挑动, 怂恿

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 唆使, 煽動, 挑動, 慫恿

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 부추기다, (사건을)유발시키다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 引き起こす, けしかける, 開始する, けしかけて…させる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يحرض, يثير‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הסית, עורר, המריץ, זירז‬

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