incite

/ɪnˈsaɪt/

//ɪnˈsaɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"incite" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incite” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #24,791 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#24,791
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
15
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To call into action.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

incite vs init
67% similar
incite vs indie
67% similar
incite vs Inuit
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for incite
PropertyValue
Headwordincite
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈsaɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#24,791
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs15
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “incite” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). incite lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for incite is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˈsaɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #24,791 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for incite, with forms such as "icnite", "inccite", and "inciet". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 15 confusable-pair relationships, "init", "indie", "Inuit", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French inciter, from Latin incitō (“to set in motion, hasten, urge, incite”), from in (“in, on”) + citō (“to set in motion, urge”), frequentative of cieō (“to rouse, excite, call”). The correct English form is incite, spelled I-N-C-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To call into action.
  2. 2
    To entreat an act.
  3. 3
    To instigate a specific incident.

Etymology

From Middle French inciter, from Latin incitō (“to set in motion, hasten, urge, incite”), from in (“in, on”) + citō (“to set in motion, urge”), frequentative of cieō (“to rouse, excite, call”).

Synonyms

abetactuategooselight a fire undersendstingbring aboutcheerdrawdriveencourageegg onengenderevokeexcitefomentgoadgrilligniteimpelinciteinduceinflameinstigateinvokelashmotivemotivatemoveobligateobligepushpromotepromptprovokerouseset offspark offspurspur onstimulatestirstir upstoketempturgewhetwhip up

Antonyms

curbdauntdemoralizedemotivatedeterdiscouragedisheartendissuadehaltpreventstop

This word in other languages

incitar(Español)inciter(Français)anstacheln(Deutsch)incitar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: icnite,inccite,inciet,incitte,inctie,inicte,inncite,nicite

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of incite - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

icnite2inccite1inciet2incitte1inctie2inicte2inncite1nicite2
Edit distance from "incite"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "incite"?
"incite" is spelled I-N-C-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈsaɪt/.
What does "incite" mean?
As a verb, "incite" means: To call into action.
What words are commonly confused with "incite"?
"incite" is commonly confused with "init", "indie", "Inuit". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "incite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incite" is /ɪnˈsaɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "incite"?
From Middle French inciter, from Latin incitō (“to set in motion, hasten, urge, incite”), from in (“in, on”) + citō (“to set in motion, urge”), frequentative of cieō (“to rouse, excite, call”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “incite”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-C-I-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˈsaɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “init” - see the side-by-side comparison. incite vs init
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list