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
Recent Examples on the Web
Butterfly populations in the United States declined by a fifth in the first two decades of this century, and the number of unprovoked shark attacks fell steeply last year.
—
Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder in which the brain produces recurring, unprovoked seizures – episodes of abnormal brain activity that cause involuntary changes in bodily function, sensations or awareness.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
In the eyes of the judge, if the Nord Stream blasts were a Ukrainian act of sabotage, that would be a justified response to an unprovoked invasion.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Barred owls are notoriously aggressive and territorial, and have been known to attack humans, even when seemingly unprovoked.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unprovoked
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Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder in which the brain produces recurring, unprovoked seizures – episodes of abnormal brain activity that cause involuntary changes in bodily function, sensations or awareness.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
In the eyes of the judge, if the Nord Stream blasts were a Ukrainian act of sabotage, that would be a justified response to an unprovoked invasion.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Barred owls are notoriously aggressive and territorial, and have been known to attack humans, even when seemingly unprovoked.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 3 Nov. 2025
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 Nov. 2025.
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