instigations

noun

plural of instigation
1
as in excitements
something that arouses a strong response from another without instigation of any kind, the man suddenly threw a punch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in incentives
something that arouses action or activity the promise of windfall profits was all the instigation they needed to invest in the scheme

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for instigations
  1. encouragements
  2. incentives
  3. impetuses
  4. motivations
Noun
  • All through the park, competitors and onlookers hit vapes and shout tips and encouragements into trees.
    — Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
  • In October 2024 ahead of her own stay at MSG, Billie Eilish recorded encouragements to take the subways for environmental benefits.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of encouragements
Noun
  • Unlike the federal tax credits that expired in September, these incentives offer an instant discount and don’t require buyers to apply for credit later.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • The attack shocked Monaco, a coastal playground for the rich and famous known for its tax-friendly incentives, royal family and Formula 1 Grand Prix.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of incentives
Noun
  • One of the main impetuses for this is that newer planes are flying further, which means airline routes are getting longer.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 June 2025
Definition of impetuses
Noun
  • The motivations are often more nuanced than the traditional image of online dating suggests.
    — Matthew Kayser Updated July 6, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
  • Those motivations, and the curiosity behind them, have lingered with me years later.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 6 July 2026
Definition of motivations
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

instigation
instigations
instigative
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Cite this Entry

“Instigations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instigations. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on instigations

Nglish: Translation of instigations for Spanish Speakers

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