incite division

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incite division" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts where someone is encouraging conflict or disagreement among groups or individuals. Example: "The politician's speech seemed designed to incite division among the community." Alternative expressions include "foster discord" and "promote division."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The UFU Victorian branch accused the federal government of attempting to "incite division between career and volunteer firefighters" by weighing into the dispute.

The Guardian

However, more time should be spent alongside Christians of all ethnicities in countering those whose work to incite division involves co-opting Christianity.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

And that manipulates power in its own financial interests by inciting division between people who, because at heart they share an interest in creating a better country, are comrades.

Independent

And by clearly defining the inclusive centre of Australian society Turnbull is also redefining who is "us" and who is "them", with anyone preaching hatred or inciting division, the Islamist extremists, or the anti-Islamic extremists, firmly in the latter category.

The Guardian - Opinion

Rhetoric incites division and continued segregation of class, gender, race, religion, and other factors.

Huffington Post

Without trudging too far back in our history, we can find all the examples necessary to demonstrate how religious leaders have incited division while enjoying powerful relationships with the political class.

Huffington Post

The almost comically restrictive law now threatens fat fines and summary closure of any organ that dares to commit such breaches as "inciting divisions between citizens", "damaging the country's public affairs", or insulting senior clerics, among a long list of other no-no's.

The Economist

"I don't think that they are raising the money nor do they have the sway that they did in the last midterm elections," said Steven C. LaTourette, a former Republican congressman from Ohio who is leading an effort to counter the influence of conservative lobbying groups that he blames for inciting divisions within the Republican Party.

Los Angeles Times

His daily incendiary comments that incite violence, division, and xenophobia have rattled world leaders.

Huffington Post

"Leaders and the media in our country should join the president in trying to unite and heal our country rather than incite more division," they read.

Vice

Analyses of sequence homologies have incited a division of the family-18 chitinases into the subfamilies A, B, and C (Suzuki et al. 1999; Li and Greene 2010; Eijsink et al. 2010).

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "incite division", consider the specific groups being divided and the means by which the division is being incited. Be precise in your language to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "incite division" without specifying the underlying issues or motivations. Simply stating that someone is inciting division lacks context and can be seen as a biased or unsubstantiated claim.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incite division" functions as a verb + noun construction, where 'incite' is a transitive verb requiring a direct object ('division'). According to Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically sound and used to describe the act of provoking disagreement or conflict.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "incite division" is used to describe actions or rhetoric that intentionally or unintentionally create disagreement and conflict between groups. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and notes its prevalence in News & Media sources. While alternatives like "foment disunity" or "stir up conflict" exist, the specific meaning of "incite division" focuses on the action of creating a divide. When using the phrase, it is crucial to provide context about the specific groups and issues involved to avoid overgeneralization.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

provoke discord

Focuses on initiating a state of disagreement, rather than the act of creating separate factions.

foment disunity

Emphasizes the active promotion of a lack of unity, rather than the instigation of separate groups.

stir up conflict

Highlights the act of agitating existing tensions, rather than creating divisions.

exacerbate tensions

Implies that existing tensions are made worse, not necessarily creating new divisions.

fuel discord

Focuses on adding energy to existing disagreement, rather than the creation of a split.

kindle antagonism

Suggests a gradual start of opposition.

instigate strife

Highlights the initiation of struggle or conflict.

promote schism

Emphasizes the creation of a formal split or separation.

trigger polarization

Focuses on pushing opinions to opposite extremes.

sow dissension

Highlights the act of spreading seeds of disagreement.

FAQs

How can I use "incite division" in a sentence?

You can use "incite division" to describe actions or rhetoric that promote disagreement and conflict between groups. For example: "The politician's speech was designed to "incite division" within the electorate."

What are some alternatives to "incite division"?

Alternatives to "incite division" include "foment disunity", "stir up conflict", or "provoke discord", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "incite to division" instead of "incite division"?

While "incite to division" might be understood, ""incite division"" is the more common and grammatically sound phrasing.

What is the difference between "incite division" and "reflect division"?

"Incite division" means to actively cause or encourage disagreement and conflict, while "reflect division" means to show or represent existing disagreements. One creates the problem, the other mirrors it.