1
as in excitement
something that arouses a strong response from another
without instigation of any kind, the man suddenly threw a punch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impetus
something that arouses action or activity
the promise of windfall profits was all the instigation they needed to invest in the scheme
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instigation
They are accused of propaganda against the constitutional order and instigation to commit crimes, and if found guilty could be sentenced to several years in prison.
—
Sarah Moreno
june 5,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Now that more and more users are disengaging and often leaving those platforms entirely, the AI bots are moving in, often at the instigation of the social media platforms themselves.
—
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
Had the country remained coalesced around the accurate original understanding of January 6—that American citizens had been lied to about the 2020 election by the president and had attempted to sack the Capitol partly at his instigation—Webster might have been forced into a reckoning.
—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Three other people – two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s – were arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, the UK's Counter Terrorism Policing office said.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Three additional suspects -- two men and a woman -- were also taken into custody and arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, police said on Thursday.
—
Morgan Winsor,
ABC News,
3 Oct. 2025
Two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have also been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism in connection with the attack, police said.
—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
Somehow, through its instigation of global disaster, AI can generally be framed as a moral phenomenon.
—
Essence,
24 Sep. 2025
At the instigation of president Charles de Gaulle, new towns began to emerge in France at the end of the 1960s as a counter to haphazard urban growth.
—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Sarah Moreno
june 5,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Now that more and more users are disengaging and often leaving those platforms entirely, the AI bots are moving in, often at the instigation of the social media platforms themselves.
—
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
Had the country remained coalesced around the accurate original understanding of January 6—that American citizens had been lied to about the 2020 election by the president and had attempted to sack the Capitol partly at his instigation—Webster might have been forced into a reckoning.
—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Three other people – two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s – were arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, the UK's Counter Terrorism Policing office said.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Three additional suspects -- two men and a woman -- were also taken into custody and arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism, police said on Thursday.
—
Morgan Winsor,
ABC News,
3 Oct. 2025
Two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s have also been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism in connection with the attack, police said.
—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
Somehow, through its instigation of global disaster, AI can generally be framed as a moral phenomenon.
—
Essence,
24 Sep. 2025
At the instigation of president Charles de Gaulle, new towns began to emerge in France at the end of the 1960s as a counter to haphazard urban growth.
—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigation
Noun
-
And just as the rental market of humanoid robots shows signs of cooling and the initial excitement wanes, concerns of an industry bubble have risen.
-
Cunningham, 63, can remember the fanfare and excitement around the bicentennial in 1976.
Noun
-
Whether the impetus is to satisfy a desire for seclusion or to achieve the investment benefits that development allows, these three properties, triangulated across the globe, open up new frontiers and ways of living.
-
Not much separated these two teams over 90 minutes, with limited attacking impetus and much of the game being played in midfield.
Noun
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Once all but deserted, the town experienced a revival in 1965, when artists and musicians began to flock there after encouragement from the Yugoslav government.
-
Alexandria government roasted for absurd anti-fireworks tweet The government of Alexandria tweeted Wednesday a blunt warning about fireworks — and encouragement to snitch on your neighbors.
Noun
-
Nearly a year after the expiration of a $7,500 federal tax incentive for new electric vehicles, California is stepping in to try to motivate buyers to go electric.
-
The attack shocked Monaco, a coastal playground for the rich and famous known for its tax-friendly incentives, royal family and Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Noun
-
But if productivity growth is low, then stimulus just turns into inflation—too many dollars chasing too few goods.
-
By integrating smart shades into the components of major smart home ecosystems (those supporting Matter, Thread, Zigbee, or Z-Wave specifically), these systems can react to real-time stimuli.
Noun
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Teams Like Norway Are Trying Re-Create Home Conditions Of course, good nutrition isn’t the only motivation behind what Norway and other teams may be doing.
-
For years, Governor Ron DeSantis has fought the College Board, the group that administers the AP test, over how its standardized tests portray many things, including race and gender but also the motivations of the Founding Fathers.
Noun
-
Apollo Neuro uses vibrotactile stimulation on the wrist or ankle.
-
According to Playlist, parent company of the gym and spa membership app ClassPass, the number of venues on ClassPass with electrical muscle stimulation workouts rose more than 16% from 2023 to 2025.
Cite this Entry
“Instigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigation. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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