provocative

adjective

pro·​voc·​a·​tive prə-ˈvä-kə-tiv 

: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate

a provocative question

provocative noun

provocatively adverb

provocativeness noun

Synonyms of provocative

• exciting
• charged
• provoking
• motivational
• motivating
• stimulating
• edgy

Examples of provocative in a Sentence

a thoughtful and provocative book

It was one of his more provocative suggestions.

She was wearing a very provocative outfit.

Recent Examples on the Web

The great Ken Rosenthal got the ball rolling earlier this week with a provocative column about the National League Rookie of the Year race. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

The idea was intriguing; could one of cinema’s most idiosyncratic and provocative auteurs apply his skill set to a mainstream genre project without either Ferrara or Hollywood losing anything in the process? — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026

The first thing to go in The Disappearers, Marlon James’s provocative new novel, is innocence. — Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026

Political ascension Steinem began parlaying the fame that came from her provocative writing to political organizing. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for provocative

• evocative
• talkative
• vocative

Kids Definition

provocative

adjective

pro·​voc·​a·​tive prə-ˈväk-ət-iv 

: serving or tending to provoke

provocative comments

provocatively adverb

provocativeness noun

Medical Definition

provocative

adjective

pro·​voc·​a·​tive prə-ˈväk-ət-iv 

: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate

provocative test for coronary spasm

—The Journal of the American Medical Association