incite discussion

USAGE SUMMARY

"incite discussion" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you wish to provoke or invite discussion about a topic. For example: "The teacher asked the student to provide several potential solutions to the problem in order to incite discussion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Their goals were expressly political: to incite discussion about the plague and thus change government policy.

The New York Times - Magazine

Like 17th-century salonistes, home gallerists use the intimacy of their homes — or other people's — to incite discussion and forge a deeper connection to the art.

The New York Times

The intention of this paper is to incite discussion among faculty in schools and colleges of pharmacy, with the hope that an increased interest in public health occurs in the academic environment and that pharmacists assume additional leadership roles in public health matters.

Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning

"The club has quite a bit of street art decorating our walls and we decided we wanted to add something that was a little edgy and would incite discussion," club co-owner Casey Lourens told Global News.

Vice

Second, our intervention predominantly addressed a knowledge deficit and although we attempted to incite discussion and start the process of the social construction of knowledge, if local barriers were too great (i.e. pathology resource issues) then improving CRC staging may be an insurmountable barrier [55].

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Mr. Bell's confusion about the word cosmology — he keeps thinking it's cosmetology — incites a discussion that explains the title of this show.

The New York Times

Undercover officers and informants visited mosques, attempted to incite political discussions, and even went on whitewater rafting trips with Muslim student groups.

Huffington Post

The album, which will be released on June 17 via Capitol Records, will include singles "First Love" and "I Luh Ya Papi," both released earlier this year (with the video for the latter notably inciting a discussion about sexism in the music industry).

Huffington Post

The assumed idea was that Wolf-Hunkeler would "roll on water," but reported technical difficulties that hampered the effect caused it to garner punny and pithy headlines like artnet News's "Maurizio Cattelan's Wheelchair-on-Water Performance Is More Dunk Than Slam Dunk" and incited the discussion of his possible exploitation of Wolf-Hunkeler.

Vice

This study, in our view, is a step to incite a general discussion of obstacles and opportunities for developing countries, that could help them in using their limited resources effectively, hence, enable them to offer better conditions to their citizens and to contribute space science to a larger extend.

Advances in Space Research

The two panelists, Jim Nussle, President and CEO of the Credit Union National Association, and Peter Orszag, Vice Chairman of Citigroup, had just the right background to incite the stimulating discussion that the audience sought.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incite discussion" when you want to express the intention of provoking thought and encouraging people to express their views on a particular subject. Be mindful of the potential for strong reactions when using this phrase.

Common error

Avoid using "incite discussion" when a more neutral term like "facilitate conversation" or "promote dialogue" would be more appropriate. "Incite" carries a connotation of stirring up strong feelings or controversy, which may not always be desired.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incite discussion" primarily functions as a verb phrase where 'incite' is the transitive verb, and 'discussion' is the direct object. It describes the action of stimulating or provoking a conversation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "incite discussion" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, as confirmed by Ludwig. It effectively conveys the intention of stimulating conversation and debate. While not extremely common, its usage is appropriate in both news media and scientific contexts. When using this phrase, be mindful of its potential to evoke strong reactions and consider more neutral alternatives like "foster conversation" or "stimulate dialogue" when a less contentious approach is desired.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stimulate dialogue

Suggests a more thoughtful and constructive exchange of ideas.

spark a debate

Focuses more on initiating a formal argument or disagreement.

trigger discourse

Implies a more academic or formal level of conversation.

provoke debate

Emphasizes a potentially contentious or controversial beginning to the discussion.

foster conversation

Emphasizes creating a supportive environment for open communication.

ignite conversation

Conveys a sense of excitement and passion in starting the discussion.

prompt deliberation

Suggests a careful and considered discussion.

initiate exchange

Highlights the action of beginning a reciprocal flow of ideas.

encourage exchange

Highlights the sharing of ideas and perspectives.

generate talk

Focuses on creating general buzz and conversation around a topic.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "incite discussion" in a sentence?

Use "incite discussion" when you aim to stimulate active debate or exchange of ideas, often on a specific topic. For instance, "The documentary aimed to incite discussion about climate change."

What are some alternatives to "incite discussion" that I can use?

You can use alternatives like "stimulate dialogue", "foster conversation", or "prompt deliberation", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "incite discussion" always appropriate, or are there contexts where it should be avoided?

While grammatically correct, "incite discussion" carries a connotation of stirring up potentially strong feelings or controversy. Use more neutral terms like "facilitate conversation" or "promote dialogue" in sensitive contexts.

What's the difference between "incite discussion" and "provoke discussion"?

"Incite discussion" implies a deliberate attempt to stimulate thought and conversation, while "provoke discussion" often suggests a more contentious or challenging approach, potentially leading to disagreement or strong reactions.