Instigate
verb
To gently persuade or push someone to do something.
She instigated her friend to steal the candy from the shop.
Often appears as...
- instigate someone into
- instigate a plan
verb
To cause or start an action or event, often something bad.
He was charged with instigating a riot.
Often appears as...
- instigate a riot
- instigate a war
verb
To bring forward in argument or as evidence.
The attorney instigated new evidence to prove his client's innocence.
Often appears as...
- instigate an evidence
- instigate an argument
Usage tips
Formal
verb
To gently persuade or push someone to do something.
She instigated her friend to steal the candy from the shop.
Often appears as...
- instigate someone into
- instigate a plan
verb
To cause or start an action or event, often something bad.
He was charged with instigating a riot.
Often appears as...
- instigate a riot
- instigate a war
verb
To bring forward in argument or as evidence.
The attorney instigated new evidence to prove his client's innocence.
Often appears as...
- instigate an evidence
- instigate an argument
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Gentle Persuasion
Instigate implies a subtle influence, nudging someone towards an action without force.
She instigated him to audition by praising his singing talent.
Pro Tip 2/3Sneaky Connotation
It often carries a sneaky or slightly negative tone, as if suggesting a covert agenda.
He secretly instigated the mutiny by spreading discontent among the crew.
Pro Tip 3/3Peer Influence
Used to indicate peer pressure or the act of encouraging someone to make a certain choice.
Despite his doubts, he was instigated by peers to join the prank.
Pro Tip 1/3Gentle Persuasion
Instigate implies a subtle influence, nudging someone towards an action without force.
She instigated him to audition by praising his singing talent.
Pro Tip 2/3Sneaky Connotation
It often carries a sneaky or slightly negative tone, as if suggesting a covert agenda.
He secretly instigated the mutiny by spreading discontent among the crew.
Pro Tip 3/3Peer Influence
Used to indicate peer pressure or the act of encouraging someone to make a certain choice.
Despite his doubts, he was instigated by peers to join the prank.
Pro Tip 1/3Gentle Persuasion
Instigate implies a subtle influence, nudging someone towards an action without force.
She instigated him to audition by praising his singing talent.
Pro Tip 2/3Sneaky Connotation
It often carries a sneaky or slightly negative tone, as if suggesting a covert agenda.
He secretly instigated the mutiny by spreading discontent among the crew.
Pro Tip 3/3Peer Influence
Used to indicate peer pressure or the act of encouraging someone to make a certain choice.
Despite his doubts, he was instigated by peers to join the prank.
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Video examples
Introducing a New...
that name he's the only colored male cheetah you may have seen there was one cheetah with a collar around his neck and so they said to him I've seen him being bullied quite a bit and I'm saying this the last time the last time I spend some time with these boys there was one cheetah that was definitely Keenan and kept instigating the hunts there's the
Video examples
Scott Fraser: The...
It's called reconstructed memories. It happens to us in all the aspects of our life, all the time. It was those two considerations, among others -- reconstructed memory, the fact about the eyewitness fallibility -- that was part of the instigation for a group of appeal attorneys
Video examples
Cameron Sinclair: A call...
connected basically by a website, and we have a staff of three. The fact that nobody told us we couldn't do it, we did it. And so there's something to be said about naïveté. So seven years later, we've developed so that we've got advocacy, instigation and implementation.
Video examples
Is your country at risk...
And this leads to point militarization. Dictators survive by instigating fear, and they use the military to suppress dissident voices, even though they try to give the impression that the military is to protect the nation. And they suppress institutions and destroy them
Video examples
Jim & Jamie Dutcher: The...
have observed that normally Omega wolves instigate play in an effort to diffuse pack tension maitake was good at this and when she died the other wolves lost the spirit to play another indication of their change behavior is the way they
Video examples
History vs. Cleopatra -...
"And again, she provided her particular kind of support to Marc Antony." "Why does that matter? Why doesn't anyone seem to care about Caesar or Antony's countless other affairs? Why do we assume she instigated the relationships?
Video examples
Putting a Species on the...
or because it's very charismatic in fact most of the time the species chooses you and they choose you by instigating passion and by posing incredible questions and fascinating challenges that you really want to getting engaged
Video examples
Baby Mountain Gorilla PIPE...
and I was very pleased to see her playing and showing play faces baby because not only is she receiving play but she's instigating play I think we'd all like this job being her play well
Video examples
3 Things Men Can Do to...
Through what means can men both instigate and lead a gender reckoning? First, we must tell the truth. We must tell the truth.
Video examples
The Timbuktu Job PIPE...
without his inspiration in his instigation I was engaged I was never afraid
Video examples
Introducing a New...
that name he's the only colored male cheetah you may have seen there was one cheetah with a collar around his neck and so they said to him I've seen him being bullied quite a bit and I'm saying this the last time the last time I spend some time with these boys there was one cheetah that was definitely Keenan and kept instigating the hunts there's the
Video examples
Scott Fraser: The...
It's called reconstructed memories. It happens to us in all the aspects of our life, all the time. It was those two considerations, among others -- reconstructed memory, the fact about the eyewitness fallibility -- that was part of the instigation for a group of appeal attorneys
Video examples
Cameron Sinclair: A call...
connected basically by a website, and we have a staff of three. The fact that nobody told us we couldn't do it, we did it. And so there's something to be said about naïveté. So seven years later, we've developed so that we've got advocacy, instigation and implementation.
Video examples
Is your country at risk...
And this leads to point militarization. Dictators survive by instigating fear, and they use the military to suppress dissident voices, even though they try to give the impression that the military is to protect the nation. And they suppress institutions and destroy them
Video examples
Jim & Jamie Dutcher: The...
have observed that normally Omega wolves instigate play in an effort to diffuse pack tension maitake was good at this and when she died the other wolves lost the spirit to play another indication of their change behavior is the way they
Video examples
History vs. Cleopatra -...
"And again, she provided her particular kind of support to Marc Antony." "Why does that matter? Why doesn't anyone seem to care about Caesar or Antony's countless other affairs? Why do we assume she instigated the relationships?
Video examples
Putting a Species on the...
or because it's very charismatic in fact most of the time the species chooses you and they choose you by instigating passion and by posing incredible questions and fascinating challenges that you really want to getting engaged
Video examples
Baby Mountain Gorilla PIPE...
and I was very pleased to see her playing and showing play faces baby because not only is she receiving play but she's instigating play I think we'd all like this job being her play well
Video examples
3 Things Men Can Do to...
Through what means can men both instigate and lead a gender reckoning? First, we must tell the truth. We must tell the truth.
Video examples
The Timbuktu Job PIPE...
without his inspiration in his instigation I was engaged I was never afraid
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Winnie Byanyima
Ugandan Politician
My own life values were shaped in great part by my mother, who instigated women's clubs in my village. Women were able to organize and stand together. What inspired me most about their work was the power it gave them to assert their rights and the rights of their daughters, be it education or property inheritance.
Quote examples
Kiku Sharda
Indian Comedian
I am not at all justifying Kapil's abusive behavior. I am only trying to say that when you know the person is depressed, you are still publishing negative stories about him and trying to break him. Why are you instigating him when you know his mental state? It looks as though people have an agenda.
Quote examples
Nana Patekar
Indian Actor
We live in a society where you may not like everything that is happening around you. However, just because you don't like it doesn't mean it is wrong. Similarly, just because you dislike something, you don't have to keep talking about it or instigating people against it.
Quote examples
Yvette Mimieux
American Actress
Most parts for women have them reacting to something a man has done. Women never instigate any action; they only react it. We women have become accustomed to doing that.
Quote examples
Kat Edmonson
American Musician
Very often, writing a song is a process that happens to me rather than one that I instigate. I feel a song coming on and, like a sneeze; I wait for it until it comes.
Quote examples
Rick Stein
English Chef
Divorce is horrible, no matter who instigates it. It's very traumatic.
Quote examples
Tertullian
Roman Author
Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy.
Quote examples
G-Dragon
South Korean Musician
I want to continuously instigate, whatever it may be.
Quote examples
Neha Bhasin
Indian Singer
In the Bigg Boss house a lot of instigation happens.
Quote examples
Asrani
Indian Actor
BJP only knows how to instigate to disintegrate.
Quote examples
Winnie Byanyima
Ugandan Politician
My own life values were shaped in great part by my mother, who instigated women's clubs in my village. Women were able to organize and stand together. What inspired me most about their work was the power it gave them to assert their rights and the rights of their daughters, be it education or property inheritance.
Quote examples
Kiku Sharda
Indian Comedian
I am not at all justifying Kapil's abusive behavior. I am only trying to say that when you know the person is depressed, you are still publishing negative stories about him and trying to break him. Why are you instigating him when you know his mental state? It looks as though people have an agenda.
Quote examples
Nana Patekar
Indian Actor
We live in a society where you may not like everything that is happening around you. However, just because you don't like it doesn't mean it is wrong. Similarly, just because you dislike something, you don't have to keep talking about it or instigating people against it.
Quote examples
Yvette Mimieux
American Actress
Most parts for women have them reacting to something a man has done. Women never instigate any action; they only react it. We women have become accustomed to doing that.
Quote examples
Kat Edmonson
American Musician
Very often, writing a song is a process that happens to me rather than one that I instigate. I feel a song coming on and, like a sneeze; I wait for it until it comes.
Quote examples
Rick Stein
English Chef
Divorce is horrible, no matter who instigates it. It's very traumatic.
Quote examples
Tertullian
Roman Author
Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy.
Quote examples
G-Dragon
South Korean Musician
I want to continuously instigate, whatever it may be.
Quote examples
Neha Bhasin
Indian Singer
In the Bigg Boss house a lot of instigation happens.
Quote examples
Asrani
Indian Actor
BJP only knows how to instigate to disintegrate.
Example 1 of 10
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