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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquing
Adjective
-
These songs were birthed before social media algorithms shaped the direction of popular music, when singles and their accompanying videos had less winks, less meta commentary, less need to be provocative.—
Clarence A. Haynes
July 3,
Literary Hub,
3 July 2025 -
The film is provocative, if gently so, in suggesting to consider how a radical was made, and that mistreatment and bias in the West can be a contributing factor.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
-
The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
This will deepen the divide between the global North and South on issues of race and cultural difference, straining the West’s diplomatic relations with countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America while provoking broader resentment toward Western countries seen as perpetuating racial hierarchies.—
Matias Spektor,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Jan. 2025
-
In 2008, the United States suggested that Georgia and Ukraine might eventually join the alliance but offered no concrete path to membership, thus provoking Russia without effectively deterring it.—
Michael Beckley,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Jan. 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
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Thursday’s swings also hit the bond market, which had been showing encouraging signals earlier in the day that stress may be easing.—
Time,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Kym was the one sneaking them onto rec teams and encouraging them to join AAU programs.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But at the time, the theory that providing children with stimulating activities would help them more than rote learning and academic drills was revolutionary.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
6 Jan. 2025
-
For only the second time in at least a decade, top leaders last month made stimulating spending and domestic demand their top priority in 2025.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune Asia,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Step into the rhythm of the day with ESSENCE PRESENTS: THE COLLECTIVE SET—an immersive sonic experience powered by today’s most exciting DJ crews and music collectives.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 July 2025
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But his most exciting job is as a private investigator.—
Richard Johnson,
New York Daily News,
6 July 2025
Verb
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When handled, these treefrogs secrete a sticky toxin as a defense, which can be irritating to mucous membranes of people or pets who make contact with them.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
-
All three ingredients offer significant benefits for skin brightening and skin texture, but also tend to be irritating to people with sensitive skin.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Piquing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquing. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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