Initiate and Instigate

Initiate

Initiate verb - To be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of.

Instigate is a synonym for initiate in begin topic. In some cases you can use "Instigate" instead a verb "Initiate", when it comes to topics like institute.

Instigate

Instigate verb - To bring (something volatile or intense) into being.

Initiate is a synonym for instigate in influence topic. You can use "Initiate" instead a verb "Instigate", if it concerns topics such as provoke, set in motion.

Common collocations

relationship initiate relationship instigate relationship
plot initiate plot instigate plot
turn initiate turn instigate turn
end initiate end instigate end
Other words: affair, chase, plan, coup, apocalypse, fight, battle, investigation, invasion, war, hostilities, events, fights, conversations.
Cite this Source
Instigate and Initiate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/initiate/instigate
Initiate & Instigate. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/initiate/instigate>.
Instigate or Initiate. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/initiate/instigate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "initiate" and "instigate" have occurred on timeline