Instigates

Instigates is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb instigate. It denotes initiating or provoking an action, process, or event, usually by encouraging, urging, or arranging for others to act. The term can be neutral when describing the start of a course of events, but it often carries a sense of prompting or incitement that implies some deliberate motivation or pressure.

Etymology and related forms: Instigate comes from the Latin incitare or instigare, meaning to goad or spur on. Related forms include instigation (the act or process of instigating) and instigator (a person who instigates). Other related terms include incite, provoke, spur, and prompt, which share a core idea of causing a reaction or action in others.

Usage and nuance: In everyday language, instigate suggests actively setting events in motion through influence or coordination. While not inherently negative, it frequently appears in contexts involving controversy, conflict, or wrongdoing, as it implies a causal role in someone else’s actions. In legal or formal contexts, instigation or incitement may carry specific implications about encouraging or directing illegal conduct.

Examples: A manager who instigates a policy change; activists who instigate a movement by organizing events; or a person who instigates trouble by spreading rumors. The term is typically used to assign responsibility for the initial push that leads to subsequent actions, and it is often contrasted with mere suggestion or passive influence.

See also: instigation, instigator, incitement, provoke.