instigated

Instigated is the past tense and past participle form of the verb instigate. Instigate means to bring about or initiate an action, event, or process, often by urging, encouraging, or stirring others to act. It can describe starting something deliberately and may carry a neutral or negative tone depending on context.

Etymology traces instigate to the Latin instigāre, meaning to urge on or excite, formed from in- “toward” and stingere “to prick or goad.” In modern use, instigate is typically transitive and takes a direct object, as in instigating a plan, a dispute, or an investigation. It can also take a clause with to do something, as in instigating others to take action, although this construction is less common than simply instigating the action itself.

Usage notes emphasize nuance: instigate often implies a proactive role in initiating something, sometimes with deliberate encouragement or manipulation. Compared with synonyms like incite, provoke, or spur, instigate emphasizes the act of starting or setting in motion, rather than merely provoking an immediate reaction. However, it frequently retains a negative or suspicious valence when associated with harmful or questionable deeds.

Common collocations include instigate a lawsuit, instigate a protest, instigate reforms, and instigate by spreading rumors or misinformation. The noun form, instigation, refers to the act or process of instigating.