SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
instigate
verb
To initiate or provoke an action or event.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Start or provoke
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topInstigate frequently suggests causing trouble; initiate and prompt can describe neutral or constructive beginnings.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See instigate in use
A careless remark can instigate a needless dispute.
A volunteer tried to instigate a cooperative review of the fair's signs by inviting every stallholder to bring one concrete correction.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license