insight and incite - the difference

by Craig Shrives
The Quick Answer
The noun insight means an understanding.
The verb to incite means to stimulate action.
Got it? Take a quick test.

The words insight and incite sound very similar, but their meanings are very different.

Insight

The noun insight means an understanding of something. It often carries the connotation of a clear understanding with an insider's perspective.

Examples:
  • The film offers a useful insight into sharks' behaviour.
  • She has a good insight into the company's strategy.

Incite

The verb to incite means to stimulate action, to rouse, or to stir up.

Examples:
  • A 29-year-old man from Dover was arrested for trying to incite a riot.
  • The event is seeking to incite enthusiasm in young people.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

Help Us To Improve Grammar Monster

  • Do you disagree with something on this page?
  • Did you spot a typo?
Please tell us using this form.

See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose?
What are nouns? What are verbs? List of easily confused words