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
Was that a deliberate provocation?
—
Brittany Delay, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Its commentary on political extremism, religious tribalism and the erosion of nuance is uniquely relevant, with episodes that spark conversation across ideological lines without resorting to provocation for provocation’s sake.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Both Hungarian and American news organizations reported that a Russian intelligence team had set up in Budapest to amplify Orbán’s social-media campaign, and perhaps to stage provocations.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
The forty-three-year gap between provocation and retaliation is a void between cause and effect into which all temporal logic vanishes.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocation
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Brittany Delay, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Its commentary on political extremism, religious tribalism and the erosion of nuance is uniquely relevant, with episodes that spark conversation across ideological lines without resorting to provocation for provocation’s sake.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Both Hungarian and American news organizations reported that a Russian intelligence team had set up in Budapest to amplify Orbán’s social-media campaign, and perhaps to stage provocations.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
The forty-three-year gap between provocation and retaliation is a void between cause and effect into which all temporal logic vanishes.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 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 22 Apr. 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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