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
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Ross Garcia described the incident in court as an unprovoked attack in which Butler punched Sheron in the jaw, knocked him to the ground and repeatedly struck him in the head, NBC7 reported.
—
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Last December, in another horrifying unprovoked incident on the T, a group of teens assaulted and filmed an attack and robbery on an 18-year-old rider attempting to board an Orange Line train at Downtown Crossing – a neighborhood plagued by violent crime.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 23 May 2026
In recent years, a litany of violent, seemingly unprovoked attacks across Metro led to the deaths or severe injury of several passengers—a confirmation of Angelenos’ worst fears about the system.
—Oren Peleg, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
In legal terms, a dangerous dog is one that has previously caused unprovoked bodily injury or made a person reasonably fear for their safety.
—Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 8 May 2026
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Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Last December, in another horrifying unprovoked incident on the T, a group of teens assaulted and filmed an attack and robbery on an 18-year-old rider attempting to board an Orange Line train at Downtown Crossing – a neighborhood plagued by violent crime.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 23 May 2026
In recent years, a litany of violent, seemingly unprovoked attacks across Metro led to the deaths or severe injury of several passengers—a confirmation of Angelenos’ worst fears about the system.
—Oren Peleg, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
In legal terms, a dangerous dog is one that has previously caused unprovoked bodily injury or made a person reasonably fear for their safety.
—Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 8 May 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 27 May. 2026.
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