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In "provocateur," a word borrowed directly from French, one sees the English verb "provoke." Both "provoke" and "provocateur" derive from Latin provocare, meaning "to call forth." Why do we say "provocateur" for one who incites another to action, instead of simply "provoker"? Perhaps it's because of "agent provocateur," a term of French origin that literally means "provoking agent." Both "agent provocateur" and the shortened "provocateur" can refer to someone (such as an undercover police officer or a political operative) whose job is to incite people to break the law so that they can be arrested, but only "provocateur" is used in English with the more general sense of "one who provokes."
Synonyms of provocateur
Examples of provocateur in a Sentence
Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
However, the Academy clearly still has a soft spot for the Greek provocateur—Bugonia got four nods, including in best picture and best actress for Emma Stone’s magnetic lead performance.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2026
Nick Fuentes, the extreme-right provocateur, has been called many things—a Nazi, a white supremacist, a misogynist, an incel—but never a ladies’ man.
—Maggie Turner, Air Mail, 17 Jan. 2026
Delcy Rodríguez, a guerrilla’s daughter, started out as a provocateur.
—Adam Entous Zolan Kanno-Youngs Emily Anthes Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocateur. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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