1
as in to provoke
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the rock band's failure to show up incited a riot, as the crowd had waited for hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to encourage
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the demagogue's fiery rant incited the crowd to riot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incite
There is no evidence whatsoever that Pretti obstructed federal law enforcement or incited violence on Saturday.
—
Karen Cortes, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
His allies would say the victim had provoked their own death and blame Democrats for inciting the violence.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
Public opinion can even incite poor performance.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
After the George Floyd murder and response, something was incited.
—Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incite
Karen Cortes, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
His allies would say the victim had provoked their own death and blame Democrats for inciting the violence.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026
Public opinion can even incite poor performance.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
After the George Floyd murder and response, something was incited.
—Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incite
Verb
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Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
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The International Shark Attack File, run by the Florida Museum of Natural History, classifies the attacks as provoked or unprovoked based on whether a human initiated the contact.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Your 7th House of Partnership steadies as boundary-setting Saturn arrives, encouraging clear agreements across your closest bonds so your diplomatic style can bring fairness without overgiving.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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The evening was more about the vibe; Gelman encourages all guests to dress up in fancy cocktail attire.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Then, they are manually placed on Multi Electrode Arrays (MEAs), a grid of tiny electrodes on a biocompatible substrate chip that records and stimulates neurons using 32 electrodes grouped into four sets of eight.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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To wit, lymphatic brushes join the ranks of depuffing tools like gua shas, face rollers, and dry brushes; most working to stimulate lymphatic drainage, your body’s natural detoxification process.—
Emily Orofino,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incite. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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