as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
piquing remarks that were said mainly to get a rise out of the other guests at the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bothering
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
her seat companion piqued her by repeatedly poking her in the ribs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in provoking
to rouse to strong feeling or action
their sarcastic comments piqued him to respond in kind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in priding
to think highly of (oneself)
she piques herself on her considerable musical abilities
Synonyms & Similar 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 piquing
Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Romelu Lukaku are piquing interest.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquing
Adjective
-
And the goal is to be provocative and push boundaries.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Fun, provocative and sometimes controversial, the MTV Video Music Awards stand out among other award shows.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Lead with Gratitude and Grace Calling out someone for bothering you is always tricky.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
-
That appeared to be a distraction at times to Anisimova, who motioned to her team in the stands that something was bothering her during ball tosses for serves.—
Howard Fendrich,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Follow Scheffler for destination stories, travel trends and thought-provoking conversations from the world of travel.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
If bookmaking was in theory the keel that kept the ship upright, in practice Bowyer often treated it as another gamble, priding himself on taking bets that his competition wouldn’t touch.—
DAVID AMSDEN,
Rolling Stone,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
For context, geomagnetic storms are caused by fiery eruptions from the sun's surface that send charged particles zipping toward our planet.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
20 May 2025
-
The ceremony came at a charged moment, coinciding with Columbia University canceling its graduation ceremony (and largely closing off its campus).—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2024
Verb
-
As a practical matter, California making this move will only further inflame the gerrymandering problem, encouraging a further spiral of gerrymandering offsetting Democratic gains in other states.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Walking tours are also gaining prominence, minimizing car use and encouraging a deeper connection with the city.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Moments earlier, a video had played featuring many of her former teammates, San Diego FC head coach Mikey Varas, and her husband Servando Carrasco with their children, congratulating her on a storied career.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Please join me in congratulating Michael on his new role.—
TIME PR,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Sounders’ defenders swarmed Messi from the first minute, and midfielder Obed Vargas was particularly physical, annoying the Argentine icon time and again.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
1 Sep. 2025
-
In fairness, Arsenal seemed to be annoying Liverpool for much of the first hour.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piquing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquing. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share