instigated

verb

past tense of instigate
1
as in provoked
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being the medical breakthrough instigated a whole new field of therapy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraged
to rouse to strong feeling or action the charge that the scene in the movie had instigated teenagers to commit similar acts of vandalism

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 instigated The ethnic standoff, first instigated by land disputes, adds another layer to the country’s ongoing civil war which broke out in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 Now people on both sides of the border will pay for a senseless trade war instigated by a petulant and vengeful president. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 When a pandemic like Covid goes global, with wide stay-at-home policies instigated, oil and gas companies feel the commercial disaster very quickly. — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 That was a move partly instigated to develop a new crop of fast bowlers, but a home series defeat to Bangladesh two years ago and the loss of the first Test to England in October 2024 prompted the PCB to switch to spin-friendly tracks. — Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Instead, the Citizens’ Council, a white supremacist organization, claimed Williams instigated the riots. — Aaron Coy Moulton, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026 Those same cartels instigated the crisis that gripped Mexico during my travels. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 John Tunstall’s store, the establishment of which instigated the Lincoln County Wars, is still stocked with original 19th-century merchandise such as ammunition and men’s suit buttons. — Allison Savage Bates, Denver Post, 19 July 2026 After notching two goals in the team’s 4-1 win over Paraguay on June 12, Balogun instigated the American scoring, in the 11th minute, on Friday. — Sean Gregory, Time, 20 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigated
  1. provoked
  2. encouraged
  3. triggered
  4. stimulated
Verb
  • The comment at a rally last Sunday titillated, provoked and enraged different audiences simultaneously, all but guaranteeing saturation news coverage and even more attention.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The incidents had provoked international scrutiny of the country’s assault on Gaza.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of provoked
Verb
  • When government applies the rules consistently, businesses have the confidence to invest, innovation is encouraged, public institutions earn greater trust and the public benefits.
    — Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Anyone with information on the collision is encouraged to contact Officer Giovanni Zaino of the Middletown Police Patrol Division at 860-638-4000, ext 6323.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of encouraged
Verb
  • The blaze appears to have been triggered by an air conditioning compressor explosion inside the nursery where the newborn babies were being cared for, rescue sources told CNN.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That flood was triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in Tibet, a regional climate monitor said.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of triggered
Verb
  • Throughout Milo's healing, Haarburger sought ways to keep him entertained and mentally stimulated.
    — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • So the majority of product [is] stimulated by patient interaction, and the hero product has to be the Polish.
    — Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulated

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instigate
instigated
instigates
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Cite this Entry

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

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