FreeVocabulary
Instigate
/ˈɪnstɪɡeɪt/ verb mediumTo set an action or conflict in motion, especially one that stirs up trouble.
Investigators believed a rival gang had instigated the warehouse fire to scare off the competition.
Memory Trick
Picture someone using a long stick to poke a hornet's nest — to instigate is to jab at a situation until it erupts.