incited; inciting
1
: to move (someone) to action : urge on
incited the crowd to violence
2
: to cause (a usually violent action or feeling) to occur
arrested for inciting a riot
Examples of incite in a Sentence
The news incited widespread fear and paranoia.
the rock band's failure to show up incited a riot, as the crowd had waited for hours
Recent Examples on the Web
Lawmakers also refused to agree to allow for the prosecution of lower house Speaker Tomio Okamura, the head of the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, on charges of inciting hatred.
—
Karel Janicek, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
Lawmakers also refused to agree to allow for the prosecution of lower house Speaker Tomio Okamura, the head of the Freedom party, on charges of inciting hatred.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
That exchange incited a deafening roar from the more than 10,000 fans in attendance.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incite
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Karel Janicek, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
Lawmakers also refused to agree to allow for the prosecution of lower house Speaker Tomio Okamura, the head of the Freedom party, on charges of inciting hatred.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
That exchange incited a deafening roar from the more than 10,000 fans in attendance.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for incite
Cite this Entry
“Incite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incite. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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Medical Definition
incite
transitive verb
in·cite
in-ˈsīt 
incited; inciting
: to bring into being : induce to exist or occur
organisms that readily incited antibody formation
Legal Definition
incite
transitive verb
in·cite
in-ˈsīt
incited; inciting
: to urge on
incite a riot
incitement
noun
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