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
He was also marked as a dangerous provocateur by Cuban officials.
—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
But the Fosters hosting a fundraiser for the reality-TV provocateur turned mayoral candidate suggests that stigma may be starting to erode.
—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
13 May 2026
Critic Rex Reed, who died Tuesday at 87, built his career on savage, acerbic reviews delivered with little restraint, earning a reputation as a provocateur.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
McGrath’s work covers artists ranging from indie provocateur Peaches and Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff to Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, Soundgarden and Steve Martin, so don’t be surprised to see some of your favorites in there.
—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
But the Fosters hosting a fundraiser for the reality-TV provocateur turned mayoral candidate suggests that stigma may be starting to erode.
—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
13 May 2026
Critic Rex Reed, who died Tuesday at 87, built his career on savage, acerbic reviews delivered with little restraint, earning a reputation as a provocateur.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
McGrath’s work covers artists ranging from indie provocateur Peaches and Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff to Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, Soundgarden and Steve Martin, so don’t be surprised to see some of your favorites in there.
—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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Well after the first Darfur war had faded from headlines, this duo continued to put down rebel groups throughout the country through brutal methods.
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Finding an off-ramp is increasingly becoming necessary for GOP leadership as House rebels threaten to shut down the floor in the absence of a path forward.
Noun
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Under the new alliance, DAZN can curate matches based on its alliances with top boxing promoters, including Top Rank, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, and Queensberry Promotions.
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Venue and promoter newsletters are some of the most reliable presale sources, according to Seat Insiders.
Noun
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The majority of speakers at Tuesday’s board meeting urged the board not to allow online agitators to dictate personnel decisions.
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In recent years, agitators have fueled anti-immigration street violence following crimes committed by, or falsely reported to have been committed by, immigrants.
Noun
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The expansion’s Council proponents have never really addressed this point beyond emotional appeals to the plight of overburdened tenants.
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The opposition vastly outspent the proponents, but analysts also attributed the loss to the lack of voter trust in city government, where years of fiscal struggles and bad real estate transactions have tarnished City Hall’s image.
Noun
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A lot of the show has a low-to-medium simmer that feels appropriate for an firebrand of 85 whose pilot light is going strong but who isn’t worried about acting like a 30-year-old rocker, either.
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What began as a harmless project took a turn when Ben Shapiro, the right-wing firebrand, made a reaction video to one of Uncle Pappy’s clips in June 2024, taking his comedic comments at face value.
Noun
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Some fans, including Scottish supporter Rory Syme, arrived early and gathered near a shopping center by the stadium while waiting for gates to open.
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On Election Day, Schlossberg was campaigning out in the rain despite the concerning polls, hearing stories from passersby about their Kennedy encounters over the years and taking selfies with starstruck supporters.
Noun
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But those standards can be easily stretched by demagogues, and a simple majority on the committee is enough to ban a party, though a panel of nine Supreme Court justices can overturn the decision on appeal.
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But demeaning our brand through association with vulgar demagogues is a losing strategy.
Noun
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Prosecutors argued that Song planned an ambush with the intent to kills officers, while the defense argued that Song fired into the ground after seeing Gross point his gun at a protester and that the shot that hit the officer might have been a ricochet.
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According to an incident report from the Greer Police Department, an altercation broke out between an event attendee and a protestor outside the venue.
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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