inciting 1 of 2

adjective

as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction a deliberately inciting comment questioning someone's manhood started the brawl

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inciting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of incite
1
as in provoking
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being the rock band's failure to show up incited a riot, as the crowd had waited for hours

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2
as in encouraging
to rouse to strong feeling or action the demagogue's fiery rant incited the crowd to riot

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inciting
Adjective
Morocco arrested multiple people who circulated the inciting statements, Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El Khalfi said. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Societies throughout history have punished language deemed blasphemous, seditious, inciting or slanderous. — Paul Quigley, The Conversation, 13 July 2026 Not an inciting event for troll armadas to threaten the people involved. — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 2 July 2026 Does the opening episode need an inciting incident within the first few minutes to draw in audiences? — Michael Schneider, Variety, 22 June 2026 Although more research is needed, GLP-1 drugs trigger metabolic pathways that could be important in regulating inflammation, which is known to be an inciting factor in many different cancers. — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 What was the setting and the all-important inciting incident? — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026 Of course, the pivotal thing was to create an inciting incident that propels the story without clunky exposition. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 23 May 2026 The inciting moment comes when Austin and Ashley witness a violent argument between Josh and Lindsay. — Ryan Brennan april 16, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
Former grand mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, an Assad loyalist who was vocally in support of the government's policies, was convicted of inciting violence and justifying murder. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 Chow Hang-tung, a prominent young human rights lawyer who conducted her own defense, and former opposition lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan were found guilty of inciting subversion at West Kowloon Court on Friday. — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 This is also the time of year when local sports talk radio shows flourish, inciting near-riots over how their team was shafted compared to others within their own conference. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Targeting the wrong group could end up inciting an international incident. — Henry Larson, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026 On August 5, Nelson Mandela was arrested in South Africa for inciting workers to strike, and Marilyn Monroe was found dead at her home in Brentwood, California. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 The same forces that produce earthquakes are also what led gold to form in the Sierra foothills, inciting the state's famous rush. — Rong-Gong Lin Ii Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026 The Church of Scientology has accused Remini of inciting violence against members of the church. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 July 2026 That trust begins with one of the most devastating inciting incidents in recent genre memory. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inciting
  1. provocative
  2. provoking
  3. encouraging
  4. charged
Adjective
  • Shah has previously made headlines for his fiercely nationalist and provocative posture towards both countries.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Kirk launched Turning Point USA in 2012 and made provocative statements about race, gender and politics.
    — Corey Williams, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of provocative
Verb
  • By the mid-nineteenth century, the it-narrative began to interest authors invested less in provoking excitement than in guiding the moral development of their readers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine’s recent strikes into Russia also have exposed weaknesses in Russia’s air defenses, which could prompt Putin to think twice about provoking a retaliatory attack.
    — Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of provoking
Verb
  • Historically, the United States has sent mixed messages to Europeans, encouraging them to step up but then scolding them for seeking autonomy.
    — JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The scarcity itself became part of the appeal, encouraging moviegoers to attend early, return for later editions and share the collectibles online.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of encouraging
Adjective
  • The result is an urgent, propulsive song with a raw spirit and some of Pop’s most super-charged writing with deceptively simple lyrics about love and war, dripping with desperation.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • What Happens Next Greene is likely to continue stoking controversy by breaking with her party, as conversations around immigration remain charged and divisive.
    — Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of charged

Browse Nearby Words

incites
inciting
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Cite this Entry

“Inciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inciting. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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