incite crime

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incite crime" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing actions or speech that provoke or encourage criminal behavior. Example: "The speaker was accused of trying to incite crime with their inflammatory remarks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

City officials feared that this would incite crime.

The New York Times

Ofcom launched an investigation into whether Allen's comment was likely to encourage or incite crime.

The Guardian

The semiofficial Anatolia news agency said the police had detained 25 people on suspicion of using Twitter to incite crime.

The New York Times

For example, the first amendment does not protect the expression of ideas that incite crime, violence or reckless public endangerment.

The Guardian - Opinion

It caused a minor flutter because MPs are not supposed to incite crime, but after 20 years of campaigning impatience is now justified.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Unless it can prove that speech intentionally incites crime the state has no right to ban it.

The Guardian - Books

The police said the website was inciting crime and it had too many videos that were pushing an agenda, it was inciting too much gang culture.

The Guardian - Music

On 31 January, Sonando was arrested and accused of "relaying false information", "inciting discrimination", and "inciting crime".

Wikipedia

In most cases, she is accused of inciting crimes rather than carrying them out herself.

The New York Times - Magazine

Mr. Seselj has been indicted for inciting crimes against humanity and war crimes, which, prosecutors argue, are the result of years of his delivering fanatical and war-mongering speeches and the orders he gave to his own militia operating both in Croatia and Bosnia as they terrorized, robbed and killed civilians to drive them from what he regarded as Serbian lands.

The New York Times

Section three of the regulator's broadcasting code says TV and radio services must not include material "likely to encourage or incite … crime or to lead to disorder".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "incite crime", ensure that the context clearly demonstrates a direct link between the inciting action and the resulting criminal activity. Ambiguous connections can weaken your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "incite crime" when the link between the action and the crime is tenuous or based on speculation. Stronger verbs like "influence" or "relate to" may be more accurate in such cases.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "incite crime" is to describe an action that leads to or encourages illegal activity. The verb "incite" indicates the act of provoking or urging someone to commit a crime, while "crime" serves as the object of this action. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is used to discuss actions or speech that provoke or encourage criminal behavior.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "incite crime" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It is used to describe actions or speech that encourage or provoke illegal behavior. While not exceedingly common, it appears primarily in news and media contexts. When using "incite crime", it's crucial to ensure a clear and demonstrable link between the inciting action and the resulting criminal activity. Related phrases include "provoke crime" and "encourage criminal behavior". Be mindful of the potential legal implications when using or discussing this phrase, as "inciting crime" can itself be a criminal offense.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

provoke crime

Replaces "incite" with "provoke", suggesting a stronger causal link.

encourage criminal behavior

Substitutes "crime" with the more explicit "criminal behavior".

foment crime

Uses "foment", implying the phrase actively stirs up illegal activity.

instigate crime

Replaces "incite" with "instigate", highlighting an initiating action.

spur crime

Uses "spur", suggesting the phrase motivates illegal actions.

trigger crime

Changes "incite" to "trigger", meaning that the illegal action are the result of an event or action.

prompt criminal activity

Uses "prompt" to soften the impact of "incite", referring to the fact that the action facilitate illegal activity.

cause crime

General term indicating a direct causal relationship.

encourage lawlessness

Uses "lawlessness" instead of "crime", implying widespread disregard for the law.

stir up criminal actions

Describes an indirect attempt to foment illegal activities.

FAQs

How is "incite crime" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "incite crime" is generally used to describe actions or words that encourage or provoke illegal behavior. For example, "The speech was deemed likely to "encourage or incite crime"."

What are some alternatives to "incite crime"?

Alternatives to "incite crime" include "provoke crime", "encourage criminal behavior", or "instigate crime". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What legal implications are associated with "inciting crime"?

In many jurisdictions, "inciting crime" can be a criminal offense itself, particularly if it leads to direct and imminent lawless action. The specific laws vary by region.

Is there a difference between "inciting crime" and "encouraging crime"?

While similar, "inciting crime" often implies a more direct and intentional effort to provoke illegal behavior, whereas "encouraging crime" can be more indirect or unintentional.