Standard Lemma guide

instigation

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˌɪnstɪˈɡeɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N S T IH0 G EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of instigating, or the state of being instigated; incitement; especially to evil or wickedness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

deliberate and intentional triggering (of trouble or discord)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fomentation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: trigger, induction, initiation

3

noun

Meaning 3

the verbal act of urging on

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: abetment, abettal

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: encouragement

History

Etymology

From Middle English instigacioun, from Old French instigacïon and Latin instīgātio.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: սադրանք (sadrankʻ) — act of instigating
  • Azerbaijani: təhrik — act of instigating
  • Bulgarian: подстрека́телство (podstrekátelstvo) — act of instigating
  • Bulgarian: предизви́кване (predizvíkvane) — act of instigating
  • Catalan: instigació — act of instigating
  • Czech: podněcování — act of instigating
  • Czech: ponoukání — act of instigating
  • Czech: nabádání — act of instigating
  • Dutch: aansporing — act of instigating
  • Dutch: instigatie — act of instigating
  • Finnish: yllytys — act of instigating
  • French: instigation — act of instigating
  • German: Anstiftung — act of instigating
  • German: Aufwiegelung — act of instigating
  • Italian: istigazione — act of instigating
  • Kazakh: арандатушылық (arandatuşylyq) — act of instigating
  • Malayalam: പ്രേരണ (prēraṇa) — act of instigating
  • Māori: whakakīkīnga — act of instigating
  • Polish: podszept — act of instigating
  • Polish: namowa — act of instigating
  • Polish: podjudzanie — act of instigating
  • Polish: podburzanie — act of instigating
  • Russian: подстрека́тельство (podstrekátelʹstvo) — act of instigating
  • Spanish: instigación — act of instigating
  • Swedish: anstiftan — act of instigating
  • Tocharian B: ṣertwe — act of instigating
  • Ottoman Turkish: افساد (ifsad) — act of instigating