as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
the host's provoking opinions are the reason why people tune in to his radio talk show in the first place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in encouraging
to rouse to strong feeling or action
his teasing finally provoked her to anger bees generally will not sting unless they are provoked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in raising
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
rankings that are sure to provoke an argument among film buffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of provoking
Ricardo Brito, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
Her work is technically amazing, thought provoking and has tons of heart.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024
Vipin Narang, Foreign Affairs, 5 Sep. 2025
This is an installment of The Nightcrawler, a weekly collection of thought-provoking articles on tech, innovation, and long-term investing by Eric Markowitz of Nightview Capital.
—Big Think, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoking
Adjective
The arrest could give Trump a pretext to pile on additional measures against Brazil, said Graziella Testa, a political science professor at the Federal University of Parana, adding that Bolsonaro seemed to be consciously provoking escalation.
—Ricardo Brito, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
Her work is technically amazing, thought provoking and has tons of heart.
—Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024
Verb
When foreign intelligence or international monitors would reveal an undeclared activity during the course of nuclear diplomacy, North Korea would ratchet up pressure by testing missiles or provoking Seoul.
—Vipin Narang, Foreign Affairs, 5 Sep. 2025
This is an installment of The Nightcrawler, a weekly collection of thought-provoking articles on tech, innovation, and long-term investing by Eric Markowitz of Nightview Capital.
—Big Think, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoking
Adjective
-
That group, which began on college campuses, quickly drew attention with its provocative events and Kirk’s willingness to debate critics onstage.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Kirk frequently attacked mainstream media and engaged in culture war issues around race, gender and immigration, often in a provocative style.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The immediacy and interactivity of social media platforms amplified the outrage, encouraging group mobilization.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
-
By encouraging curiosity, leaders and employees can move beyond surface-level use and unlock the full potential of the tools around them.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Among them were countless era-defining releases that are still among the best movies ever made—of any genre—from the haunting Rebecca to the gripping Rear Window, and the ravishing Vertigo to the hair-raising Psycho.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
13 Sep. 2025
-
There were times when raising kids, building careers, and paying bills felt overwhelming.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
For context, geomagnetic storms are caused by fiery eruptions from the sun's surface that send charged particles zipping toward our planet.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
20 May 2025
-
The ceremony came at a charged moment, coinciding with Columbia University canceling its graduation ceremony (and largely closing off its campus).—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2024
Verb
-
Integrating dogs into the workplace can reduce the stress of worrying about them all day, and also potentially save employees money in monitoring cameras and stimulating activities when left home alone.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Ketamine works by stimulating the brain’s resilience mechanisms, according to Krystal.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An anonymous letter was mailed to local police and federal agencies, accusing individuals of gambling and triggering an investigation.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The latest summit was in the works before Pope Francis died in April, triggering the process to elect his successor.—
Antonia Mortensen,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and become slightly golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Keep it at room temperature for up to three days, stirring the mixture once per day.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, the president’s criticism of mail-in ballots could risk disrupting the inroads Republicans made with voters last cycle, with the party spending millions promoting mail-in ballots ahead of the 2024 election.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
-
It was created with the intention of promoting AI fluency and a future-ready, AI-confident workforce.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provoking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoking. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share