Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of encouraging or urging someone to do something, especially something strong or violent: "Incitement" refers to the action of provoking, stimulating, or stirring someone to a particular action or feeling, often a negative one.
   • Something that causes such encouragement or provocation: "Incitement" can also be the thing itself—the words, actions, or events—that serve to arouse or instigate a reaction.

Examples of Usage

• As a noun:
  • His speech was an incitement to violence. (His words provoked or encouraged violent action.)
  • The article was accused of being incitement to racial hatred. (The article was seen as something that stirred up racial hatred.)
  • The leader was arrested for incitement to riot. (The leader was arrested for the act of urging people to start a riot.)

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: In law, "incitement" often refers to the criminal offense of persuading or encouraging another person to commit a crime.
  • He was charged with incitement to commit arson.
• Formal/Political Context: Used to describe rhetoric or actions meant to stir public feeling toward a cause, which can be positive (e.g., incitement to charity) but is frequently negative.
  • The propaganda served as incitement for the rebellion.

Variants and Related Words

• Incite (verb): To encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior).
  • They were accused of trying to incite a rebellion.
• Incitatory (adjective): Tending to incite.
  • The film was criticized for its incitatory content.

Synonyms

• Instigation: The act of bringing about or initiating an action, often by persuasion.
• Provocation: Action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, especially deliberately.
• Encouragement (in a neutral or positive sense): The action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope.
• Stimulation: The action of arousing interest, enthusiasm, or activity.

Related Phrases

• Incitement to hatred: A legal term for communication that is likely to stir up hatred against a group.
  • Laws against incitement to hatred are common in many countries.
• Incitement to violence: The act of urging others to engage in violent acts.
  • The speaker was banned for incitement to violence.

Related Idioms

• To fan the flames: (Idiom) To make a situation, especially a conflict, worse or more intense, similar to inciting further trouble.
  • His angry tweets only served to fan the flames of the controversy.

Noun

1. the act of exhorting; an earnest attempt at persuasion
2. something that incites or provokes; a means of arousing or stirring to action
3. needed encouragement
   • the result was a provocation of vigorous investigation
4. an act of urging on or spurring on or rousing to action or instigating
   • the incitement of mutiny