provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən 
1
: the act of provoking : incitement
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
Examples of provocation in a Sentence
He can turn violent at the least provocation.
Her calmness in the face of repeated provocations impressed her friends.
With hardly any provocation, the crowd began to chant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Popular opposition was fueled in part by the belief that U.S. nuclear weapons were not a deterrent against Soviet aggression, as NATO leaders argued, but a vehicle for reckless provocation and warmongering.
—
Florence Gaub, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Supporting Athletic means acting with respect, not falling into provocations or losing our manners.
—Ali Rampling, New York Times, 22 June 2025
And its cultural exports, whether BBC dramas or Banksy provocations, shape minds far beyond our borders.
—Solitaire Townsend, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
But Leo represents a stubborn kind of institution—one that doesn't play Twitter games or respond to every provocation, and that insists on the moral weight of facts, decency, and mercy.
—Christopher Hale, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
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Florence Gaub, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Supporting Athletic means acting with respect, not falling into provocations or losing our manners.
—Ali Rampling, New York Times, 22 June 2025
And its cultural exports, whether BBC dramas or Banksy provocations, shape minds far beyond our borders.
—Solitaire Townsend, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
But Leo represents a stubborn kind of institution—one that doesn't play Twitter games or respond to every provocation, and that insists on the moral weight of facts, decency, and mercy.
—Christopher Hale, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes
Medical Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
: the act or process of provoking
a nonspecific irritant that brings about provocation of bronchial asthma
Legal Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
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