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
From there, the coach plays the role of intellectual mirror and provocateur.
—
Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Tesla Owners Are Getting Creative Musk's public persona has transformed from eccentric billionaire genius to an internet provocateur with a penchant for aligning himself with conservative figures.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
Braun was already known as a provocateur known for spreading Russian propaganda.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Years from now, looking back on this AI boom, OpenAI could turn out to be less important for its technology than for playing the role of provocateur.
—Alex Reisner, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Tesla Owners Are Getting Creative Musk's public persona has transformed from eccentric billionaire genius to an internet provocateur with a penchant for aligning himself with conservative figures.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
Braun was already known as a provocateur known for spreading Russian propaganda.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Years from now, looking back on this AI boom, OpenAI could turn out to be less important for its technology than for playing the role of provocateur.
—Alex Reisner, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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Also starring Jamie Lee Curtis, the original 2003 flick found Lohan’s character — a teenage rebel who fronts a rock band called Pink Slip — magically switching bodies with her mother.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
28 May 2025
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Bo was a rebel on a motorcycle who soon fell for the rich and spirited Hope.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Fever’s music partners include standout names such as Primavera Sound, Fabrik, Last Tour, Cercle and TCE Presents, while Dice is trusted by such venues, festivals, and promoters as Club Space, Newport Jazz and Folk Festival, Sonar, London’s Alexandra Palace and Rough Trade globally.—
Thania Garcia,
Variety,
5 June 2025
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Local promoters Flip Phone Events began offering drag brunches in 2015 and have since expanded into 19 other states and Washington, D.C.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
3 June 2025
Noun
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What’s important with Harvard, and with all schools, is that Presidents, Senators, experts and agitators more broadly should stay out of their admission decisions.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Standing water can encourage mildew or algae growth and invite mosquitoes, so consider buying some copper cleaning disks or a water agitator to keep the water clean for longer.—
Paige Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 May 2025
Noun
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The administration's actions, including the revocation of thousands of student visas, have drawn concern over infringements on free speech, while proponents view the move as a long overdue federal response to concerns over antisemitism.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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The chief proponent of allowing hemp businesses to operate with further regulations in Springfield, Rep. La Shawn Ford, said lawmakers could not reach agreement over whether to ban or regulate hemp.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
Noun
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The audience lapped up everything this firebrand 5-foot-tall Indian auntie had to say.—
Sarah Khan,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Even in a ruby red Georgia community represented by conservative firebrand and immigration hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress, Arias Cristobal's arrest has made many uneasy.—
May 14,
CBS News,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Cyrus' supporters came to her defense after videos of the moment went viral on social media.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
8 June 2025
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Pachuca is roughly 60 miles (90km) north east of Mexico City in the neighbouring state of Hidalgo, but the two sides that its football club’s supporters loathe the most are located in the capital — Club America and Cruz Azul.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
Noun
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It can be applied to any of a number of demagogues including President Trump.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
30 May 2025
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Their picks examine the power of demagogues, the injustices of the immigration system, the reasons protest movements have failed, and the fear of others.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Authorities have also reported sightings of ELN guerrillas, a Colombian-Venezuelan insurgent faction, operating near key Guyanese border towns.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
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Spain approved the deal on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an insurgent assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza.—
Brittany Williams,
Arkansas Online,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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