instigate

“You always hear, ‘Don’t poke the bear, don’t instigate them,’ but that’s not how you deal with a bully,” Soto-Martínez replied.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026

"We are against all scenarios that aim to instigate a civil war in Iran, that target ethnic or religious fault lines," Fidan told journalists in Istanbul.

From Barron's ● Mar. 7, 2026

Meo co-owner Tannis Ling, who spent many weekends in Chinatown with her family as a child, has helped instigate Chinatown’s resurgence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025

"Racism is a systemic, cultural, societal issues that we all need to be involved in order to instigate change and empower change."

From BBC ● May 19, 2025

To me, it seemed like she had just wanted to instigate something negative.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

He instigates them, and pedantically reminds her of the rules, but his surprise and irritation become conflagrations of rage as Fonsia wins hand after hand, remaining placid and mildly abashed at her luck.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

The gene proved very active in the habenula, a region of the cichlid’s brain that registers fear and instigates movement.

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 24, 2024

For any adaptive behaviour associated with consciousness, there could be a nonconscious mechanism that instigates the same behaviour.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 7, 2023

Wombat, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge; she instigates Marion’s return to Indy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2023

It seems to be in the nature of biologic information that it not only stores itself up as energy but also instigates a search for more.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

His attorneys had argued that the escape was instigated by a former Luster attorney who frightened him into running for his life, repeatedly telling him he’d be killed in prison.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

In the most important Phase 3 trials, Zepbound’s highest dose instigated a 20.9% weight loss, while Wegovy’s produced a 14.9% weight loss.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

Beijing said the Philippines instigated the incident by sending men in small rubber boats to approach their vessel.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

The review was instigated after letters to staff at the maternity unit, as well as "unusual actions" on the unit during a visit by healthcare inspectors.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Lady Jane Franklin, Franklin’s wealthy and determined wife, instigated and even financed several of the searches.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Police said that a suspect detained at the weekend over the attack on the 78-year-old former Conservative minister has now been re-arrested on suspicion of committing, preparing or instigating "terrorism".

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

Across the pond, the people most affected by the unrest, and its instigating events, are not having any of it.

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026

It all begins with a 2018 U.S. government assessment, instigating what I called a psychiatric moment for the news media.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Paz's government accuses him of instigating the unrest.

From BBC ● May 24, 2026

“They wanted to find the adults behind the scenes. They thought there must have been a large ring that they could now break up. But there were no adults instigating us.”

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti