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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

instigate en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɪnstəɡeɪt/
  • (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin īnstīgātus, perfect passive participle of īnstīgō (“to instigate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To bring about by urging or encouraging.
    • to instigate a change
    • In light of growing outrage against Mecham, House special counsel William French instigated an investigation into the governor's affairs last fall. 1988 February 14, Elizabeth Pincus, “Arizona Impeaches Right-Wing Governor”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 30, page 1:
    • If the man perceives that his partner has arousal or orgasmic difficulties, this is likely to influence his desire to instigate sexual activity and/or his enjoyment and pleasure in being sexual with his partner. 2017, Desa Markovic, Working with Sexual Issues in Psychotherapy:
    • to instigate a riot
  2. (transitive) To goad or urge (a person) forward, especially to wicked actions.
    • he might instigate them to swear against the law of God 1678, Robert Barclay, An Apology for the True Christian Divinity:
    • to instigate someone to a crime
    • He hath only instigated his blackest agents to the very extent of their malignity. 1738–1741, William Warburton, The Divine Legation of Moses […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II.1, or II.2), London: […] Fletcher Gyles, […], →OCLC:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
instigating Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
instigated Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
instigated Tense=Past lexicographic
instigates Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Antonyms

halt · stop · prevent

Deriveds

instigatingly · uninstigated · instigatable · instigatory · instigative · reinstigate

Relateds

instigator · instigation

Synonyms

encourage · provoke · provoke · stimulate · urge · incite · foment · spur · tempt · impel · animate

Translations (67)

ko 부추기다 (to goad or urge a person forward) · mi whakaara (to goad or urge a person forward) · sk nabádať (to goad or urge a person forward) · cs vyvolat (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · cs provokovat (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · cs podněcovat (to goad or urge a person forward) · es soliviantar (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · pl namówić (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · uk підбу́рити (to goad or urge a person forward) · mi whakakīkī (to goad or urge a person forward) · ja 煽動する (to goad or urge a person forward) · cs iniciovat (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · pl namawiać (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · bg провокирам (to goad or urge a person forward) · hu provokál (to goad or urge a person forward) · sk naviesť (to goad or urge a person forward) · cmn 教唆 (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · bg подстрекавам (to goad or urge a person forward) · pl podburzać (to goad or urge a person forward) · pl podburzyć (to goad or urge a person forward) · ru подстрека́ть (to goad or urge a person forward) · ru подбива́ть (to goad or urge a person forward) · fi yllyttää (to goad or urge a person forward) · th ยุยง (to goad or urge a person forward) · de anstacheln (to goad or urge a person forward) · nl aanstichten (to goad or urge a person forward) · ce оьйхаз ваккха (to goad or urge a person forward) · pl judzić (to goad or urge a person forward) · ota دورتمك (to goad or urge a person forward) · mi whakatū (to goad or urge a person forward) · bg предизвиквам (to goad or urge a person forward) · de hetzen (to goad or urge a person forward) · sk navádzať (to goad or urge a person forward) · ota كوروكلمك (to goad or urge a person forward) · ar حَرَّضَ (to goad or urge a person forward) · sv pressa fram (to goad or urge a person forward) · hy սադրել (to goad or urge a person forward) · fr inciter (to goad or urge a person forward) · uk підбу́рювати (to goad or urge a person forward) · sk podnietiť (to goad or urge a person forward) · pl podpuszczać (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · hu felbujt (to goad or urge a person forward) · de anzetteln (to goad or urge a person forward) · es instigar (to goad or urge a person forward) · sv anstifta (to goad or urge a person forward) · es soliviantar (to goad or urge a person forward) · hu uszít (to goad or urge a person forward) · pl podjudzać (to goad or urge a person forward) · ar دَفَعَ (to goad or urge a person forward) · la instigō (to goad or urge a person forward) · cmn 指使 (to goad or urge a person forward) · es instigar (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · pl podjudzić (to goad or urge a person forward) · fr susciter (to goad or urge a person forward) · eo instigi (to goad or urge a person forward) · eo instigi (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · ce питана тийса (to goad or urge a person forward) · az rəvac vermək (to goad or urge a person forward) · pt instigar (to goad or urge a person forward) · cmn 煽動 /煽动 (to goad or urge a person forward) · cs nabádat (to goad or urge a person forward) · sk podnecovať (to goad or urge a person forward) · cs vyprovokovat (to bring about by urging or encouraging) · az təhrik etmək (to goad or urge a person forward) · de anstiften (to goad or urge a person forward) · ru подгова́ривать (to goad or urge a person forward) · pl podpuścić (to bring about by urging or encouraging)