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
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
Because primary voters tend to be the most passionate voters, and that means that the people who tend to elevate are the people who are sometimes the most provocative.
—
David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
After debuting with minimal fanfare in November 2025, the provocative Canadian drama about rival hockey players whose passion explodes into lust (and eventually love) became a word-of-mouth sensation.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
That is the most genuine thing about the movie, which is also provocative.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Angela is known for her confident, no-nonsense attitude and her sensual style, often seen on-screen in bikinis, or other tight, revealing and provocative outfits.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocative
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David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
After debuting with minimal fanfare in November 2025, the provocative Canadian drama about rival hockey players whose passion explodes into lust (and eventually love) became a word-of-mouth sensation.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
That is the most genuine thing about the movie, which is also provocative.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Angela is known for her confident, no-nonsense attitude and her sensual style, often seen on-screen in bikinis, or other tight, revealing and provocative outfits.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocative
Cite this Entry
“Provocative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocative. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
The Journal of the American Medical AssociationLove words? Need even more definitions?
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