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Recent Examples of agent provocateur
But De Niro’s attempt at playing agent provocateur stumbled badly: His decision to stand outside the New York Trump trial cost the actor his credibility.
—
Armond White, National Review, 5 June 2024
Members of the crowd accused Epps of being an agent provocateur, which later helped spur the conspiracy theories about him.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2024
Jester, troubadour, agent provocateur, Serge Gainsbourg rhymed his way through life in a fog of Gitanes smoke, making music of every genre.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2023
The Globoplay Original, produced by the company’s journalism arm, examines the lives of those adjacent to the faction through interviews with the contingents’ defenders, defectors, sociologists and an agent provocateur that develops carefully-orchestrated chaos.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 20 Mar. 2023
Anyone who maligns the sultan is immediately thought to be an agent provocateur working for the sultan, and probably is.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2022
The last dispatch from the alien/agent provocateur known as Greg Tate beamed out from perhaps his most inconspicuous dwelling.
—Tirhakah Love, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2021
At the same time, agents provocateurs played a significant role in the turbulence.
—Adam Hochschild, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2019
It is now known who that agent provocateur was that the FBI used and John Brennan used and James Clapper.
—Fox News, 17 May 2018
Armond White, National Review, 5 June 2024
Members of the crowd accused Epps of being an agent provocateur, which later helped spur the conspiracy theories about him.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2024
Jester, troubadour, agent provocateur, Serge Gainsbourg rhymed his way through life in a fog of Gitanes smoke, making music of every genre.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2023
The Globoplay Original, produced by the company’s journalism arm, examines the lives of those adjacent to the faction through interviews with the contingents’ defenders, defectors, sociologists and an agent provocateur that develops carefully-orchestrated chaos.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 20 Mar. 2023
Anyone who maligns the sultan is immediately thought to be an agent provocateur working for the sultan, and probably is.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2022
The last dispatch from the alien/agent provocateur known as Greg Tate beamed out from perhaps his most inconspicuous dwelling.
—Tirhakah Love, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2021
At the same time, agents provocateurs played a significant role in the turbulence.
—Adam Hochschild, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2019
It is now known who that agent provocateur was that the FBI used and John Brennan used and James Clapper.
—Fox News, 17 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agent provocateur
Noun
-
Iran has also for years militarily and financially supported regional militia groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza, that have pressured or attacked Israel on multiple fronts.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
-
Worried about Michilimackinac’s vulnerability to attacks by American rebels, the British relocated the fort to the high bluffs of Mackinac Island in 1780 and shortened its name.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Authorities have also reported sightings of ELN guerrillas, a Colombian-Venezuelan insurgent faction, operating near key Guyanese border towns.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
-
Spain approved the deal on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an insurgent assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza.—
Brittany Williams,
Arkansas Online,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
The division, which patrols downtown, said on X that troublemakers were throwing objects at officers at Los Angeles and Temple streets, adjacent to the federal building.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
10 June 2025
-
Those are but a few of King’s most memorable troublemakers.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
4 June 2025
Noun
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But because of World War I and the sabotage by Arab revolutionaries and T.E. Lawrence, only the segment from Damascus to Medina was completed.—
Taylor Luck,
Christian Science Monitor,
6 June 2025
-
Zsa-zsa’s many enemies include American secret agents, an international business consortium, and a well-armed band of revolutionaries, led by a man named Sergio (Richard Ayoade).—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2025
Noun
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That’s important because cityhood boosters will have to convince voters both inside and outside La Jolla.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2025
-
The stack of 27 Starlink satellites began their journey into low Earth orbit (LEO) aboard a Falcon 9 first-stage booster designated B1063.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Fever’s music partners include standout names such as Primavera Sound, Fabrik, Last Tour, Cercle and TCE Presents, while Dice is trusted by such venues, festivals, and promoters as Club Space, Newport Jazz and Folk Festival, Sonar, London’s Alexandra Palace and Rough Trade globally.—
Thania Garcia,
Variety,
5 June 2025
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Local promoters Flip Phone Events began offering drag brunches in 2015 and have since expanded into 19 other states and Washington, D.C.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Twelve apostles, 12 days of Christmas, 12 Angry Men—Henry Fonda, great guy, right?—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
12 May 2025
-
Biblical tradition holds that the Cenacle — a room on the upper floor of a Jerusalem building historically believed to stand above King David’s tomb — is where Jesus shared the Last Supper with his apostles before being crucified.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Many prominent advocates for excluding transgender girls from sports praised Dhillon’s actions last week as a bold move to protect cisgender girls from unfair competition.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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While Republicans no longer campaign on ending Obamacare, advocates warn that the changes proposed in the big bill will trim back access to health care.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agent provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agent%20provocateur. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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