inciting violence
Stirring up aggression
Inciting violence is speech or action intended to provoke others to commit violent acts.
The phrase appears most often in legal and political contexts, where the line between protected speech and criminal incitement is contested: He was charged with inciting violence at the rally.
Incitement typically requires intent and a direct connection to imminent harm—merely offensive or inflammatory speech usually doesn't meet the threshold.
- provokeIncite a response
- riotViolent public disturbance
- angry mobHostile crowd seeking retribution
- agitateDisturb or provoke
- inflameIntensify emotion or irritation
stir up trouble · fan the flames · stir · mob · unrest · uprising · rabble-rousing · call to arms · hatred · fighting words · bloodshed · chaos · instigate · fuel · spark · firebrand · hate speech · sedition
- misdemeanorsmisdemeanor, petty theft, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, petty larceny
- public disturbancesriot, disorderly conduct, brawl, disturbing the peace, breach of peace
- speech crimesdefamation, libel, slander, hate speech, perjury
- inchoate crimesattempt, conspiracy, solicitation, criminal conspiracy, attempted murder
inciting violencede-escalation
Reducing conflict intensity
pacifying · mediating · peaceful protest · nonviolent resistance · conflict resolution
inciting violencebridge-building
Establishing connections between estranged parties
incite, incites, incited, incitement, incitements, inciter, inciters, violent, violently