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
The relative said the good-natured victim brushed off Manessis’ past provocations.
—
Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Israel launched a wave of strikes against Lebanon, responding to a Hezbollah provocation early Monday.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
Jil Sander showed sexiness via razor-sharp tailoring and Gucci shifted the mood to a sleek, Tom Ford-era provocation, which was unapologetically seductive and fun.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
No matter what agenda the president espoused—the economic pragmatism of Rafsanjani, the liberal aspirations of Mohammad Khatami, the populist provocations of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the nuclear diplomacy of Hassan Rouhani—Khamenei emasculated him.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocation
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Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Israel launched a wave of strikes against Lebanon, responding to a Hezbollah provocation early Monday.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
Jil Sander showed sexiness via razor-sharp tailoring and Gucci shifted the mood to a sleek, Tom Ford-era provocation, which was unapologetically seductive and fun.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
No matter what agenda the president espoused—the economic pragmatism of Rafsanjani, the liberal aspirations of Mohammad Khatami, the populist provocations of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the nuclear diplomacy of Hassan Rouhani—Khamenei emasculated him.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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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