as in rebel
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 agent provocateur
The Italian Marco Materazzi was an agent provocateur, tossing out words about Zidane’s family like a grenade set to spew forth a red mist.
—
Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 31 May 2026
And for good reason; Villanueva spent his four years in office more as an agent provocateur than a public safety official.
—The Editorial Board, Daily News, 13 May 2026
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
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
Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 31 May 2026
And for good reason; Villanueva spent his four years in office more as an agent provocateur than a public safety official.
—The Editorial Board, Daily News, 13 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agent provocateur
Noun
-
Analysts, including those at the ISP-M, say China has intermittently backed both Myanmar's ruling military, and the rebels that military is battling in the country's civil war, depending on its varying economic and security interests.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
The celebratory tours take visitors through the city's historic brick roads and along the bayfront, uncovering colonial stories of East Florida's loyalty to the British, imprisoned founding fathers and patriot rebels.—
Amy Galo,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The outbreak, reported in 14 of Borno state’s 27 local governments, is unfolding in communities with health systems made fragile by nearly two decades of violent extremism from the Boko Haram insurgent group.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
-
After Daft Punk’s rise from underground dance music heroes to chart-topping pop insurgents, Bangalter followed different muses in different directions.—
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
But, increasingly convinced that Mossadegh was an extremist allied with communism, the Eisenhower administration began to plot his ouster.—
Andrew Arsan,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
-
Increasingly, however, that tent seems to have room for radicals and ideological extremists while pushing out Democrats who think independently.—
Doug Friednash,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, younger brother Sam begins to suspect that Michael's new friends are not merely troublemakers, but vampires.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Retaliation can include being assigned to a station far from home, passed up for promotions or labeled a troublemaker.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kings, poets, scientists and revolutionaries wanted to meet him and sought his advice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Al Pacino plays a CIA operative orchestrating a covert plan to eliminate the Cuban revolutionary.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Since that goal was outlined more than two years ago and the company has continued flying its experienced boosters safely across dozens of missions, SpaceX may be intending to push past 40 missions.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
-
The booster had previously been used on two human spaceflights — Crew-3 and Crew-4 — as well as two cargo resupply launches to the International Space Station among others.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Gather Honest Outside Feedback Have a third party contact your customers at key intervals and capture their net promoter score.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
The Buffaloes are, as promised by promoters, a power conference foe for the Aztecs in the inaugural game honoring San Diego native Bill Walton, who passed away in May 2024.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
With its brilliant white surface reflecting the searing Spanish sun, the cross that crowns the Tower of Jesus Christ (the other 17 towers are dedicated to the 12 apostles, four Evangelists and the Virgin Mary) is as tall as a five-story building and weighs around 100 tons.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
The 500-plus-mile (805 km) pilgrimage trail has a 1,000-year history and leads to the tomb of the apostle Saint James at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agent provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agent%20provocateur. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
