as in proponents
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
an instigator who always managed to be innocently standing by once the fighting began
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Recent Examples of instigators
Snowstorms are the most frequent instigators of massive flight delays and cancellations at the area's big airports.
—
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The team found that artificial sweetener Stevia, as well as compounds released by our own gut cells, were the main instigators in activating these gut phages.
—New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2025
Naming an interstate war based on the state in which the war is fought – while omitting the name of outside instigators – implies the culpability of that state.
—Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
One of the main instigators, Starboard Value, is back for more.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
But that would do more harm, Nicole Lee said, disproportionately affecting young people of color and wrongfully assuming that youths are the main instigators of violence.
—Terry Tang, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Guinan said Merriweather and Jermaine Matthews were both the instigators of the fight.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The team found that artificial sweetener Stevia, as well as compounds released by our own gut cells, were the main instigators in activating these gut phages.
—New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2025
Naming an interstate war based on the state in which the war is fought – while omitting the name of outside instigators – implies the culpability of that state.
—Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
One of the main instigators, Starboard Value, is back for more.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
And the main instigators are men.
—Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
But that would do more harm, Nicole Lee said, disproportionately affecting young people of color and wrongfully assuming that youths are the main instigators of violence.
—Terry Tang, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2025
Guinan said Merriweather and Jermaine Matthews were both the instigators of the fight.
—Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigators
Noun
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Critics of phasing out natural gas argue that much of the electricity on the grid comes from natural gas, but proponents say renewable energy is making up a larger share.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Scott Galloway, a marketing professor at New York University who has written about modern masculinity, has been among the most vocal proponents of the idea that drinking plays a crucial social role in American society.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Chilton said what sets him apart from other concert promoters is that Psyko Steve Presents takes a lot more risks on smaller artists.—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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The live music business is still dealing with the personnel shortage that resulted from that tumultuous period, which ultimately left fewer experienced crew members, promoters, and agents on hand as many transitioned to other careers.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Following the fatal shootings of anti-ICE agitators Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this month, several stars have used their platform to speak about the issue, with many critical of the situation.—
Emily Trainham,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This is why, apart from rhetoric, the MAGA crowd insists there must be outside money, outside organization, outside agitators here.—
Katherine Packert Burke,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Family, friends, and rabid supporters cheered.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Authorities ultimately barred Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending the match, citing security concerns, after large-scale protests were planned.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, rebels in 2024 overthrew Syria’s Bashar Assad after a yearslong, bloody war in which Iran backed his rule.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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The Season 2 finale of Percy Jackson and the Olympians saw Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), Grover (Aryan Simhadri) mobilize the rest of the demigods against Luke (Charlie Bushnell) and his ragtag crew of rebels working to resurrect Kronos.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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He is regularly confronted in public by provocateurs with cameras, filming clips for social media.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Third parties, which are usually based on fringe views or a sense of grievance, are vehicles for ideologues, provocateurs and contrarians whose appeal is as limited as their problem-solving skills.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The evening brought together chefs, civic leaders, business innovators, artists and community advocates to honor renewal, rebuild momentum and remind Angelenos what makes the city extraordinary.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Survivors can also contact victim advocates for support, information and resources by calling (805) 568-2400 or toll-free at (855) 840-4171.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Those efforts, combined with security operations against both Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias, weakened al-Qaeda between 2007 and 2009, allowing al-Maliki to consolidate power.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
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Israel — home to more Holocaust survivors than any other country — marks its remembrance day, Yom HaShoah, on the anniversary of the April 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, emphasizing the heroism of the Jewish insurgents who resisted the Nazi terror.—
Vanessa Gera,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instigators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigators. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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