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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provocateur
Among the last correspondence Epstein had about the Middle East is a chat with far-right provocateur Steve Bannon in June 2019.
—
Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Shell’s fight with Cipriani, a notorious provocateur, may have been the proximate cause for his undoing.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
Hans was a provocateur, not a prodigy—and certainly not a threat.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
On Saturday, two Pennsylvania teens who federal prosecutors said were radicalized by ISIS attempted to detonate IED’s at a protest led by right-wing provocateur Jake Lang outside Gracie Mansion.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Shell’s fight with Cipriani, a notorious provocateur, may have been the proximate cause for his undoing.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
Hans was a provocateur, not a prodigy—and certainly not a threat.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
On Saturday, two Pennsylvania teens who federal prosecutors said were radicalized by ISIS attempted to detonate IED’s at a protest led by right-wing provocateur Jake Lang outside Gracie Mansion.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
-
Rwanda frames its role as defensive measures to protect its territory from Hutu rebels responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
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The series emphasizes hope and the power of collective action, providing a nuanced look at both the rebels and the individuals within the Empire, ultimately highlighting the enduring relevance of its themes of oppression and resistance in today’s world.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Adding Bahrain back into the fold could salvage a sizable chunk of those losses, with the promoter fee for the race estimated to be more than $50 million, according to the note.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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Don’t look now, but Live Nation is shedding its low-margin promoter roots and emerging as a dominant venue owner/operator that increasingly commands the kind of premium valuation multiple its scale, control and economics justify.—
Justin Zacks,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Use a front-loading washing machine or a top-loading washing machine without an agitator.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Type Of Machine For a top-loading washing machine, add sheets to the drum one at a time in a loose pile, and distribute them evenly around the agitator or impeller.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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At the same time, many national security proponents and experts in the intelligence community argue that such restrictions would impede law enforcement efforts and pose severe national security risks.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
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Last Tuesday, the California Secretary of State reported that proponents, led by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, had turned in more than enough valid signatures to county registrars, ensuring that voters will be given an opportunity to restore the original intent of Proposition 13.—
Jon Coupal,
Oc Register,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the resume this native of the central Mexico state of San Luis Potosí brought to the paper was that of a firebrand.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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That would keep the seat vacated by conservative firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene in Republican hands, but by a slimmer margin than in recent elections.—
Brett Pulley,
Bloomberg,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the aftermath, Steyer and his rivals have been working to win over Swalwell’s supporters.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
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His supporters touted video of Stevens being booed at the convention, only to watch other Democrats openly resent the disruption — likening it to activists on the left who refused to vote for Democratic nominees in 2016 and 2024.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Does the rise of right-wing demagogues offer chilling parallels to the Pinochet era?—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
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Leftist demagogues specialize in lose-lose-lose policies.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Amirhossein Hatami, an 18-year-old protester, was one of those 10 protesters.—
Somayeh Malekian,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
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But like many political uprisings, the meaning of No Kings varies from protester to protester.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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