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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

instigate

Verb

IPA /ˈɪnstɪɡeɪt/

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Meaning in plain English

To cause an action or process to begin.

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Pronunciation

instigate/ˈɪnstɪɡeɪt/

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  1. A resident proposes action

  2. Neighbours join the campaign

  3. Work on the park begins

To instigate a campaign is to get it started.

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  1. The residents instigated a campaign to improve the local park.
  2. The manager instigated a review of the training programme.

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To cause an action or process to begin.
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instigate — To cause an action or process to begin.

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To cause an action or process to begin.

Compare: The residents instigated a campaign to improve the local park.

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Word origin

From Latin instigare, meaning to urge or incite.

Did you know?

Instigate can describe starting an official process as well as provoking trouble.

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instigate

/ˈɪnstɪɡeɪt/ (Verb)

“Formal. Instigate a review or campaign is especially common in British English.”

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