provocative

adjective

prə-ˈvä-kə-tiv How to pronounce provocative (audio)
Definition of provocativenext
as in exciting
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction a provocative editorial that sparked a heated discussion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of provocative For me, the quote offered a pithy, provocative way to distinguish my reporting from tech journalism. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 Shah has previously made headlines for his fiercely nationalist and provocative posture towards both countries. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 As her creative uncertainty grows, a strange mystery unfolds when a series of provocative and obscene artworks inexplicably disappear. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 An interesting collective approach to American history was PRX Productions’ provocative series Monumental, in which features by a range of independent producers interrogated the history as reflected in public monuments. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for provocative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocative
  1. exciting
  2. charged
  3. provoking
  4. motivational
  5. stimulating
  6. edgy
Adjective
  • That performance and a handful of others leads the way as the UFC wrapped up an exciting event from Shanghai.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • While a lot of the shorts are fully animated, the parts where this cartoon interacts with the real world were the most exciting then and are still a delight now.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of exciting
Adjective
  • The result is an urgent, propulsive song with a raw spirit and some of Pop’s most super-charged writing with deceptively simple lyrics about love and war, dripping with desperation.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • What Happens Next Greene is likely to continue stoking controversy by breaking with her party, as conversations around immigration remain charged and divisive.
    — Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of charged
Adjective
  • The Best Books of the Year (So Far) Our editors and critics choose the most captivating, notable, brilliant, surprising, absorbing, weird, thought-provoking, and talked-about books.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 24 June 2026
  • Chiarella has come up with an ingenious premise that is as twisted as it is thought-provoking.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Definition of provoking
Adjective
  • Instead, his endless threats worked like an aggressive motivational speech, compelling Canadians to come to their senses about the state of their overdependent relationship.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Tristan compared the strategy to Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat — an outlandish character capable of attracting an audience that a conventional motivational speaker could never reach.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of motivational
Adjective
  • This is the time to do the intellectually stimulating things.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
  • That’s really the most stimulating, but not necessarily on camera.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulating
Adjective
  • Foy’s dress was paired with a set of leather opera gloves that, while creating a material juxtaposition, also added a modern edgy element to the look.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Layers are everywhere in 2026, but this time the haircut is being imagined as less edgy and a bit softer—more flowing, more subtle.
    — Lucy Binder, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of edgy

Browse Nearby Words

provocations
provocative
provocatively
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Cite this Entry

“Provocative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocative. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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