# initiation vs instigation

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### initiation
*noun · IPA /ɪˌnɪʃ.iˈeɪ.ʃən/ · frequency rank #14,568*
The act of initiating, or the process of being initiated or introduced.

### instigation
*noun · IPA /ˌɪnstɪˈɡeɪʃən/ · frequency rank #44,272*
The act of instigating, or the state of being instigated; incitement; especially to evil or wickedness.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/initiation-vs-instigation