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
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
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
-
As members of the Titans Elite team walked off the basketball court after the last game of the March super regional tournament, their excitement was evident.—
Amy Stark Shireman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
May-Tove Smiseth, an archaeologist and adviser on the Innlandet County Council, said the treasure has drummed up excitement in the archaeological community.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The freebie was the likely impetus for the big increase in attendance, but Murakami’s slugging surely convinced some fans to come check out the scene on the South Side on a sunny but cool afternoon.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
After a brief interruption due to bad light, Josh Clarkson's late impetus guided New Zealand to a challenging total.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the aftermath, Pollard’s inbox filled with criticisms, encouragement and recommendations.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Arizona’s rapid low-density residential development sprawl is driven by its rabid encouragement of ever more population growth.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are no performance incentive payments or cost-of-living increase for senior leadership in the current fiscal year, according to a budget overview, and no incentive payments for anyone in the coming fiscal year starting July 1.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
In 2022, Massachusetts became the first state in the country to adopt an equity performance incentive, explicitly holding the system accountable for reaching low-income households, renters, and communities of color.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beginning with the stimulus of a cup or two of strong coffee, fifteen-year-old Columbia College sophomore George Templeton Strong started a diary in 1835.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The project aims to produce materials that change their mechanical properties and shape in response to external light stimuli.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Although the trial may have gone in Scott's favor, Gill was highly critical of the Middletown narcotic detective's actions and questioned his motivation.—
Juliet Pennington,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
This tax finally gave companies motivation to prioritize accounting for these societal costs.—
Larz May,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Together, Venus and Pluto create a blend of seductive charm, substance and intellectual stimulation.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Wiseman hypothesized that stronger magnetic fields may affect the brain, similar to how electrical stimulation of the angular gyrus can make one feel as if there is another person standing behind, mimicking one’s movements.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigation. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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