verb
incite
ihn-SYT
verb
1
To urge or provoke someone into action, especially something violent or unlawful.
"The speech was accused of inciting violence at the rally."
"He was charged with inciting a riot."
How to Use Incite
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo stir someone up into doing something, usually something bad.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with insight (understanding) — incite is about provoking action.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
incite violence
incite hatred
incite a riot
Word Forms
incited past tense, incites singular
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Etymology
From Latin incitō, "to set in motion, urge on," from in- + citō, "to set in motion" — related to "cite" and "excite."