as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a calculating provocateur, she has made a career out of controversy for its own sake
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Recent Examples of provocateur
Hutch is no passive-aggressive provocateur.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
There is also Cartman as right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk doing his podcast on the toilet while getting busy.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2025
The Federal Communications Commission also proposed $5.1 million in fines against Wohl and Burkman, who gained prominence as conservative provocateurs in the years surrounding the 2020 election.
—Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Dracula, the new film from Romanian provocateur Radu Jadu (Kontinental ’25, Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World), world premiered in the competition program of the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
There is also Cartman as right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk doing his podcast on the toilet while getting busy.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2025
The Federal Communications Commission also proposed $5.1 million in fines against Wohl and Burkman, who gained prominence as conservative provocateurs in the years surrounding the 2020 election.
—Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Dracula, the new film from Romanian provocateur Radu Jadu (Kontinental ’25, Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World), world premiered in the competition program of the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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But in a region being fought over by a patchwork of anti-junta rebel groups, the military and pro-military militia – and given the widespread distrust of the Rohingya – information on where exactly his family are, or what will become of them, has not been forthcoming.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The British band’s inaugural stop in Latin America on their highly successful Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour — which launched in Cardiff, Wales, on July 4 — drew a crowd of 65,000 fans at Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros, according to promoter OCESA.—
Natalia Cano,
Billboard,
13 Sep. 2025
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But major contract hurdles including race dates with the potential promoter, along with other issues will prevent that from happening in 2026.—
Bruce Martin,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That might be an agitator for some players.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
22 Aug. 2025
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To those worried about an unchecked secularism, Dobson was a powerful agitator for his version of moral certitude and fundamentalist faith.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Host a challenge forum with a proponent, a skeptic, and a synthesizer.—
Curt Steinhorst,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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To answer this question, Lam looks to the ancient Chinese philosopher Han Fei, an important proponent of the school of thought known as Legalism.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The young firebrand, 31, was a staunch political ally of Trump and helped fuel his political comeback and return to the White House in January.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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The Georgia firebrand, who has been insistent that the United States stay out of affairs abroad, has attempted similar amendments to both the NDAA and appropriations bills in past years and recently, with no success.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Participants are currently gathering pledges from friends and supporters.—
Nate Heinold,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
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Fields had plenty of supporters in the locker room and even on the staff.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On the other side of the barricades outside Roy Thomson Hall, Tarek Haj Ebrahim, another pro-Palestine protester, reiterated that the Canadian documentary was part of Israel’s propaganda campaign.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
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One such incident occurred in the UK in October 2022, when a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester was dragged into the grounds of a Chinese consulate in Manchester and beaten, in events captured on camera.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Our shrinking attention span has left us vulnerable to demagogues and misinformation from every direction.—
Doug McIntyre,
Oc Register,
31 Aug. 2025
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Because huge shocks to the system tend to empower either a) bold problem solvers or b) populist demagogues.—
Matt K. Lewis,
Twin Cities,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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