unprovoked
adjective
un·pro·voked
ˌən-prə-ˈvōkt 
: occurring without any identifiable cause or justification : not provoked
an unprovoked assault/attack
unprovoked anger
Examples of unprovoked in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pakistan’s government, which had described last Sunday’s airstrikes as an attack on militants harbored in the area, described Thursday’s Afghan attack as unprovoked, and dismissed claims that army posts had been captured.
—
ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
Russia’s unprovoked aggression has forced millions of Ukrainians to put their lives on hold.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 22 Feb. 2026
Researchers recorded 65 unprovoked shark bites worldwide last year, slightly below the 10-year average of 72, but an increase from 2024.
—Meg Tanaka, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The International Shark Attack File, run by the Florida Museum of Natural History, classifies the attacks as provoked or unprovoked based on whether a human initiated the contact.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
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ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
Russia’s unprovoked aggression has forced millions of Ukrainians to put their lives on hold.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 22 Feb. 2026
Researchers recorded 65 unprovoked shark bites worldwide last year, slightly below the 10-year average of 72, but an increase from 2024.
—Meg Tanaka, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The International Shark Attack File, run by the Florida Museum of Natural History, classifies the attacks as provoked or unprovoked based on whether a human initiated the contact.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unprovoked
Cite this Entry
“Unprovoked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprovoked. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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