instigate

"We further call on the secretary of state to instigate a long overdue comprehensive examination of the commission's internal decision-making processes, which since its inception, have often lacked credibility, accountability and transparency."

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

“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

Abby suspected Reynolds had his own reasons for urging Ned to remove her: to instigate the sale of Fidelity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 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

Did workers, too, ever instigate violence in pursuit of their cause?

From "Fannie Never Flinched" by Mary Cronk Farrell

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

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

She instigated the new restrictions, and rejects accusations of them being nanny state.

From BBC ● May 3, 2026

In its first report since the ban was instigated in December, the regulator said it had identified "a number of poor practices" from the five platforms.

From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2026

“But Ms. Stanley, Tonesha instigated the whole thing,” Donna protests.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

“It’s the first time that I’m properly going into the genre and embracing it and instigating that work,” Anderson says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 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

I was looking for other words for inciting and instigating work, and came upon “to egg on.”

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas