1
as in provoked
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
the medical breakthrough instigated a whole new field of therapy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraged
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the charge that the scene in the movie had instigated teenagers to commit similar acts of vandalism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instigated
In this moment, there’s a lot of conversations that are being surfaced at the table that strangely, were instigated around immigration policy and policing.
—
Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
O’Hara is a police chief pushed past his limits, struggling to quell violence instigated by federal law enforcement.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
In a 2019 chat with RuPaul, Lake said that witnessing planes flying into the World Trade Center on 9/11 was what instigated her desire to stop hosting.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
In Anaheim last Sunday, photo and video evidence documented a violent confrontation instigated by ICE during a car wash raid.
—Jody Agius Vallejo, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
The real-life friends instigated the project and serve as producers, with their obvious glee in playing off each other adding greatly to the enjoyment.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
Verse said Thursday that former Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht instigated the demonstration.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
In a separate footnote, Mastro even claimed Oakley’s attorney may have instigated the DOI’s review of his MSG work.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
The vice president was responding to a civil liberties attorney who had said video showed that immigration officers instigated the confrontation with Good.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
O’Hara is a police chief pushed past his limits, struggling to quell violence instigated by federal law enforcement.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
In a 2019 chat with RuPaul, Lake said that witnessing planes flying into the World Trade Center on 9/11 was what instigated her desire to stop hosting.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
In Anaheim last Sunday, photo and video evidence documented a violent confrontation instigated by ICE during a car wash raid.
—Jody Agius Vallejo, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
The real-life friends instigated the project and serve as producers, with their obvious glee in playing off each other adding greatly to the enjoyment.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
Verse said Thursday that former Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht instigated the demonstration.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
In a separate footnote, Mastro even claimed Oakley’s attorney may have instigated the DOI’s review of his MSG work.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
The vice president was responding to a civil liberties attorney who had said video showed that immigration officers instigated the confrontation with Good.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigated
Verb
-
The refusal to be endlessly provoked.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The law provoked fraught debates in Australia about technology use, privacy, child safety and mental health and has prompted other countries to consider similar measures.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Schwartz encouraged the public to be active participants in community science.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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Organizers encouraged people to join to stand together in love, peace and prayer.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Clearly, the historic performance — one that attempted to illuminate and celebrate the Latin community, people and their past — left her feeling triggered.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
While authorities said 11 of the 12 victims were killed in avalanches triggered by exceptionally unstable conditions on ungroomed backcountry slopes, The Associated Press reported a total of 13 deaths.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These channels are tuned to trigger a voltage spike and tell the trap to close only if stimulated multiple times in rapid succession.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
12 Jan. 2026
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Many contests maintain that the frogs can be stimulated humanely to jump, such as someone blowing on them or clapping their hands behind them.—
Laura Schulte,
jsonline.com,
26 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instigated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigated. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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