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
With her buzz cut and Bikini Kill T-shirt, Brie Larson’s Elektra is presented as a rebel, a provocateur, and the kind of obsessively angry soul who might well carry her microphone around town in order to besmirch her mother and berate the world.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Feb. 2025
Johansen has long been a beloved figure on the New York scene, beginning with his time as the lead singer and provocateur of the gender-bending New York Dolls.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2025
The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
What started in Washington in 2015 as a Congressional bloc, led by provocateurs like Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, has radiated into the states, inspiring similar movements in a dozen legislatures, including in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Idaho and Arizona.
—Will Warasila, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Feb. 2025
Johansen has long been a beloved figure on the New York scene, beginning with his time as the lead singer and provocateur of the gender-bending New York Dolls.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2025
The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
What started in Washington in 2015 as a Congressional bloc, led by provocateurs like Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, has radiated into the states, inspiring similar movements in a dozen legislatures, including in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Idaho and Arizona.
—Will Warasila, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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In confrontations with both India and Iran, Pakistan has consistently denied offering safe haven to transnational rebels at a time when the country was struggling to stem a deadly wave of attacks by insurgents against its own soldiers and civilians.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.—
Aijaz Hussain,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The explosive growth of Pokémon has been great for show promoters.—
Michael Salfino,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Outside of its quarterly earnings, Live Nation of course still faces a DOJ antitrust lawsuit over monopoly allegations as the Justice department called for a breakup of the eponymous concert promoter and ticketing giant Ticketmaster last year.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2025
Noun
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Neuer argued that the U.S. should act using a similar principle to the one used in cases against anti-Israel agitators, such as Mahmoud Khalil.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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The specter of foreign agitators contaminating American political culture loomed large in these debates.—
Rick Baldoz,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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While proponents of a missile corps like Lieberman may welcome such an acquisition, Israel has doubled down on using the air force as its foremost tool for offensive operations.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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Roberts pressed one of the bill’s proponents about the measure’s shield law provision, which would prohibit Colorado authorities from removing a child receiving gender-affirming care from a parent’s home because of another state’s laws.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
1 May 2025
Noun
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His presence in the White House was also a lightning rod for far-right activists, including Laura Loomer, a firebrand right-wing commentator who is known to have Trump’s ear.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
1 May 2025
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For me, one of those was a photo of comedian Bill Maher—longtime liberal firebrand—having dinner with President Donald Trump, a figure he’s relentlessly criticized for years.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Nevertheless, supporters are calling the Texas law a major win for the school choice movement.—
Kayla Jimenez,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
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Led by Pereira, Wolves’ players and staff joined hands, formed a line, walked towards their supporters and raised their hands in the air three times to initiate three loud cheers from the stands.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Noun
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The film’s self-deprecatingly comedic artifice nonetheless captures chilling details of an adventure that starts with a demagogue’s cult-like following and ends with bloody corpses.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2025
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Consider this, too: If a demagogue can whip up animosity toward even a liberal democracy such as Canada, what can’t a demagogue do?—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, the insurgents attacking the American soldiers are truly faceless.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
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The mission began in fairly standard form: The SEALs infiltrated a bleak and dusty corner of Ramadi that happened to overlook a marketplace and, unbeknownst to them, also sat across from the lair of the Iraqi insurgents.—
Fred Schruers,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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