Incited

Incited is the past tense and past participle of the verb incite. It means to stir up or prompt someone to take action, especially to act in a way that is harmful or unlawful. As a transitive verb, it takes an object: to incite someone to do something or to incite people to act. The phrase is common in legal, political, and media contexts, where authorities discuss whether speech or messaging incited violence or wrongdoing.

Etymology: from Latin incitare "to set in motion, excite," from in- "toward" + citare "to summon, excite."

Usage notes: Incited is often used with objects referring to groups (the crowd, protesters) or to actions (violence, a riot). While it carries negative connotations, it can be used neutrally when describing historical events or rhetoric that provoked action without necessarily endorsing it. In law, incitement refers to deliberately encouraging others to commit illegal acts; penalties vary by jurisdiction and often require intent and a causal link to the act.

Examples: "The speaker incited the crowd to march on the city hall." "Social media posts that incited violence led to charges against the author."

Related terms: incite, incitement, inciter; synonyms include provoke, spur, instigate; antonyms include deter, suppress, quell.