Instigate
To urge, provoke, or start something, often by incitement; to initiate an action or event.
verbInstigate
To urge, provoke, or start something, often by incitement; to initiate an action or event.
verbImagine This
Imagine a rumor spreading through a school; one student quietly teases a classmate, who then tells a friend, and soon the whole school instigates a protest against a new rule.
Sounds Like
IN-stih-geyt (IPA: /ΛΙͺn.stΙͺ.Ι‘eΙͺt/)
Looks Like
Visually resembles 'investigate' in spelling; begins with 'in' and ends with 'gate'.
Remember This
Instigate often carries a negative tone: to urge others toward conflict or trouble. The root is Latin instΔ«gΔre, meaning 'to goad' or 'urge on'.
Other Forms
Note
Use instigate with a direct object: instigate something (instigate a fight, instigate an investigation) or instigate someone to do something (instigate others to protest). Do not confuse with investigate, which means to examine carefully.