Word
instigation
Phoneticsin·sti·ga·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɪnstɪˈɡeɪʃən/
UK/ˌɪnstɪɡˈeɪʃən/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. encouragement to start something, especially trouble or a fight. You use it when one person pushes others to act.
n. prompting or urging others to initiate an action, often one that is harmful or unlawful. Often appears in the phrase 'at someone's instigation', indicating that person caused the action.
Examples
“They start the protest at her instigation.”
“The police arrested the man at whose instigation the younger boys had vandalized the school.”
“Historians still debate whether the uprising arose spontaneously or at the instigation of exiled leaders seeking to destabilize the regime from abroad.”
Examples
simple
“They start the protest at her instigation.”
contextual
“The police arrested the man at whose instigation the younger boys had vandalized the school.”
complex
“Historians still debate whether the uprising arose spontaneously or at the instigation of exiled leaders seeking to destabilize the regime from abroad.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “instigation” in context.
Verb
01. act at instigation
“He claimed he acted at the instigation of his older brother.”
verb + prep + noun
02. allege instigation
“Prosecutors allege instigation of violence by opposition leaders.”
verb + noun
03. arrest at instigation
“The journalist was arrested at the instigation of local officials.”
verb + prep + noun
04. condemn instigation
“World leaders condemned instigation of hatred against minorities.”
verb + noun
05. deny instigation
“The minister denied instigation of the crackdown on protesters.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. deliberate instigation
“The committee condemned the deliberate instigation of unrest on campus.”
adj + noun
07. direct instigation
“The riot broke out at his direct instigation, according to witnesses.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. instigation of hatred
“The law prohibits instigation of hatred on religious grounds.”
noun + prep + noun
09. act at the instigation of
“She insists she acted at the instigation of her manager.”
10. allege criminal instigation by
“Investigators allege criminal instigation by former officials.”
11. at the instigation of
“The boycott began at the instigation of student activists.”
12. deny direct instigation of
“He denied direct instigation of the attack on journalists.”
Usage
Typically appears in the phrase 'at someone's instigation' to identify who prompted the action.
Etymology
From Middle English instigacioun, from Old French instigacïon and Latin instīgātio.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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