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
Last month, the right-wing provocateur appeared on Megyn Kelly’s show to discuss his new video series, Real History With Matt Walsh.
—
Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
The movie follows the story of Elliot (Hoffman), an unmotivated twenty-something who secures a job with artist and provocateur Erika Tracy (Wilde).
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
The official channels to Censori have run through her husband’s company Yeezy, where Censori leads the architecture department, and through Milo Yiannopoulos, a far-right provocateur who had worked on Ye’s 2024 presidential campaign.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Ben Shapiro is a conservative provocateur.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
The movie follows the story of Elliot (Hoffman), an unmotivated twenty-something who secures a job with artist and provocateur Erika Tracy (Wilde).
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
The official channels to Censori have run through her husband’s company Yeezy, where Censori leads the architecture department, and through Milo Yiannopoulos, a far-right provocateur who had worked on Ye’s 2024 presidential campaign.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Ben Shapiro is a conservative provocateur.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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Additionally, attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen on shipping routes in the Red Sea have slashed Suez Canal revenues, which is a major source for foreign currency.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The actor who played soft-hearted rebel Shawn Hunter joined his former costar Matthew Lawrence and his brothers, Andrew and Joey Lawrence, on Friday's episode of their Brotherly Love podcast.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Both cases, including one that got as far as the Supreme Court, underscore the determination of AI promoters and uses to infiltrate the new technology deeper into society.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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All in all, however, promoters have definitely come up with a great lineup for 2026.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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They could be trapped in the door’s rubber seal or under the agitator, for example.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
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Cabrera is accused of having a cockfighting training ring, a dead rooster in a cage, a rooster agitator (a device used to incite fighting), a gun, rooster vitamins, syringes and medication on his property.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Instead of just relying on the network’s standard correspondents, the network’s broadcast seemed to lean equally on Free Press favorites and proponents for Iran strikes.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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In practice, the loans function much like a tax – repayments are collected through the tax system – and proponents argue that presenting them with a future tax obligation is less stressful than being saddled with a large debt.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The conservative firebrand has represented a Central Texas congressional district since 2019, raising his profile through high-profile clashes in Congress before entering the race in December with the highest name recognition in the field.—
Philip Jankowski
Austin Bureau,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
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Conventional political wisdom has it that Talarico was the stronger Democratic candidate in November, especially if Republicans nominate Paxton, a conservative firebrand who has weathered allegations of corruption and infidelity over the years.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Just about everyone agreed that regardless of the winner, supporters of both candidates should throw their support behind the winning candidate.—
Samuel O’Neal
March 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
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Over time, the remark evolved into a slogan that became shorthand for the Rangers’ reputation for lone, forceful law enforcement — a legacy that supporters celebrate and critics say oversimplifies a more complicated history.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
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After failing as an entrepreneur in America, and after an interlude in Asia in an attempt (also failed) to build a railroad on the Vietnam-China border, Morès returned to France to pursue a political career as a populist leader and an antisemitic demagogue.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Leqaa Kordia Kordia is the only protester among the four mentioned by Mamdani in custody.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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Moore was endorsed for Greene's seat by Kyle Rittenhouse, a political figure who rose to the top of the conservative movement as a 17-year-old who shot a protestor in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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