provocative

adjective

pro·​voc·​a·​tive prə-ˈvä-kə-tiv 

: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate

a provocative question

provocative noun

provocatively adverb

provocativeness noun

Synonyms of provocative

• exciting
• charged
• provoking
• motivational
• motivating
• stimulating
• edgy

Examples of provocative in a Sentence

a thoughtful and provocative book

It was one of his more provocative suggestions.

She was wearing a very provocative outfit.

Recent Examples on the Web

Around the same time, Sydney Sweeney was all over Times Square in a provocative campaign for sports prediction platform Novig. — Alison Murdock, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026

Russell Brand built much of his public persona around being provocative, and the media environment at the time often rewarded that behavior with attention, headlines, and opportunities. — Oliver Trapnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026

Sensuous, unsettling and quietly provocative, Aroma keeps its deepest secret just beyond reach. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2026

That so-fake-it’s-real argument has underpinned many provocative artistic movements over the years. — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for provocative

• evocative
• talkative
• vocative

Kids Definition

provocative

adjective

pro·​voc·​a·​tive prə-ˈväk-ət-iv 

: serving or tending to provoke

provocative comments

provocatively adverb

provocativeness noun

Medical Definition

provocative

adjective

pro·​voc·​a·​tive prə-ˈväk-ət-iv 

: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate

provocative test for coronary spasm

—The Journal of the American Medical Association