piquing 1 of 2

adjective

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piquing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of pique
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
Verb
There are an impressive number of interactions, and the game revels in piquing your curiosity. — ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 Last but certainly not least, In the City is piquing interest as well. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 July 2026 In the meantime, Mars in Gemini makes an alignment with Jupiter in Leo, increasing our self-confidence and piquing our curiosities. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 In the meantime, a few more reports and photos of the unusual bird came in from San Clemente and Dana Point the next day, piquing interest even more. — Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 28 May 2026 Bardet credits this research for piquing his interest in this subject. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026 What that’s code for — and what’s piquing Andrew’s caretaker tendencies along with his pheromones — is a certain kind of big-eyed helplessness. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026 Iconix Brands Group pioneered the approach in the prior decade, piquing the interest of Salter, who iterated on the concept. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 10 Nov. 2025 Interestingly enough, the tumulus represents a meeting of Roman and Celtic traditions, though, by the looks of it, this funerary monument, possibly attached to a stately though unknown elite, was a symbolic gesture, piquing intrigue and revealing a slice of Roman life rarely seen. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquing
  1. provocative
  2. bothering
  3. provoking
  4. priding
  5. charged
  6. bugging
  7. encouraging
  8. congratulating
Adjective
  • The manager, Jordan Perry, whose theater has a history of provocative messaging, didn’t respond to Jewish Telegraphic Agency requests for comment.
    — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Increasingly, the answer comes in the form of an intimacy coordinator — a role that Araki, long known for embracing provocative themes, employed for the first time on this project.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of provocative
Verb
  • Hip still bothering Springs Springs lasted just four innings after issuing a season-high five walks, throwing 86 pitches — only 51% of them strikes — and gave up his 28th home run of the season, the most of any pitcher in the league.
    — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Sharks already frequent Southern California beaches, usually without bothering anyone.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of bothering
Verb
  • The author warns that humanity's insistence on supremacy could lead to conflict with advanced AI, even provoking existential threats.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Even when the play returns to the familiar rhythm of Shaw provoking Dreyfuss and Scheider stepping in to restore peace, the performances keep the interactions engaging.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
Definition of provoking
Verb
  • The property offers a variety of programs and activities for children and families, priding itself on being a multigenerational spot to return to again and again.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
  • Suitcases rarely push the $400 mark while priding themselves on chicness and durability; accessories like toiletry bags, too, come in at under $40 and yet retain an aspirational look worthy of your aesthetic at large.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Definition of priding
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
Verb
  • The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026
  • His doctor had been bugging him for years to get a colonoscopy because of his age, but Driggers declined.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
Definition of bugging
Verb
  • China has moved to bar companionship chatbots from encouraging emotional reliance, which means a regulator can decide that a relationship somebody depends on will stop existing.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Peridot acts as a buffer for Virgos, helping to soften their tendency for self-criticism and encouraging a more optimistic outlook.
    — Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of encouraging
Verb
  • The show acknowledges the two histories aren’t equivalent yet invokes the comparison anyway, congratulating itself for recognizing the distinction while still harvesting the emotional weight of the analogy.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The text is a reference to the song’s lyrics, which see Bad Bunny congratulating and thanking his parents for giving birth to him.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
Definition of congratulating

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Piquing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquing. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of piquing for Spanish Speakers

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