# incite

/ˌɪnˈsaɪt/ (US) · /ɪnsˈaɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/incite
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to stir up violence or trouble

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to encourage someone to do something violent, illegal, or unpleasant.

For teachers: to instigate or provoke a specific action, typically one that is violent, unlawful, or socially disruptive.

- The speaker was accused of trying to incite a riot outside the building.
- The prosecution argued that the defendant's social media posts were specifically designed to incite racial hatred and civil unrest.

Usage: Always takes a direct object, usually a noun representing a negative action like 'violence', 'hatred', or 'rebellion'.

## Examples

- The speaker tried to incite a riot.
- The group was accused of using social media to incite violence against local businesses during the protest.
- Legal scholars often debate the precise threshold at which inflammatory political rhetoric crosses the line from protected free speech to a criminal attempt to incite immediate lawless action.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.