as in agitators
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 provocateurs
Just a funny parasocial back-and-forth between some of the most passionate fans in sports and one of the best provocateurs the SEC has seen since Steve Spurrier.
—
Austin Perry Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Alliances with independents and provocateurs can bring younger crowds to the traditional news fold in an era when such viewership is not guaranteed.
—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
For 15 years as a member of French psych pop provocateurs La Femme, Magnée and band members were walking billboards for retro chic fashion.
—
Selena Fragassi,
SPIN,
14 Apr. 2026
The character of McCrum’s images is also quite different than that of the ones in the fictional Brainrot, whose sleek, sensual images recall the highly polished work of provocateurs like Torbjørn Rødland and Heji Shin.
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
13 Apr. 2026
Lost in all the heated rhetoric is the fact that so much of this turmoil would have been avoided if federal detainers were simply honored within local jails and state prisons — away from the public and professional provocateurs who are drawn to uncivil cultural conflict like bees to honey.
—
Bob Ehrlich,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
The pair of social media provocateurs post their bizarre arguments and interactions with everyday New Yorkers, which usually end with them being chased down the street and out of bodegas and residential buildings.
—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2026
There were right-wing provocateurs coming to town.
—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Third parties, which are usually based on fringe views or a sense of grievance, are vehicles for ideologues, provocateurs and contrarians whose appeal is as limited as their problem-solving skills.
—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
Austin Perry Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Alliances with independents and provocateurs can bring younger crowds to the traditional news fold in an era when such viewership is not guaranteed.
—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
For 15 years as a member of French psych pop provocateurs La Femme, Magnée and band members were walking billboards for retro chic fashion.
—
Selena Fragassi,
SPIN,
14 Apr. 2026
The character of McCrum’s images is also quite different than that of the ones in the fictional Brainrot, whose sleek, sensual images recall the highly polished work of provocateurs like Torbjørn Rødland and Heji Shin.
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
13 Apr. 2026
Lost in all the heated rhetoric is the fact that so much of this turmoil would have been avoided if federal detainers were simply honored within local jails and state prisons — away from the public and professional provocateurs who are drawn to uncivil cultural conflict like bees to honey.
—
Bob Ehrlich,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
The pair of social media provocateurs post their bizarre arguments and interactions with everyday New Yorkers, which usually end with them being chased down the street and out of bodegas and residential buildings.
—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2026
There were right-wing provocateurs coming to town.
—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Third parties, which are usually based on fringe views or a sense of grievance, are vehicles for ideologues, provocateurs and contrarians whose appeal is as limited as their problem-solving skills.
—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateurs
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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That's partly because eastern Congo is also battling ongoing violence from rebels.
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That’s partly because eastern Congo is also battling ongoing violence from rebels.
Noun
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Ocasio-Cortez, who may be eyeing a House leadership role or Senate bid, has stayed out of key New York City-area House races, unlike Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sanders, who are backing insurgents trying to oust incumbents.
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Two very different—and very close—insurgents Warshaw’s path to this race runs through the places where New York’s biggest problems actually live.
Noun
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The biggest issue is the promoters that, for lack of a better word, don’t really understand what their job is, who are perpetuating the issue by rewarding the young men and women that are going out of their way to do these crazy things – jumping off of balconies, crazy moves every match.
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The parties with the most ticket sales and highest prices, which can run as high as US$80 or more for an after-party, are often put on by out-of-town promoters.
Noun
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The House passed a bipartisan package of children’s online safety bills in a 267-117 vote Monday, advancing legislation that supporters say would better protect children online but critics warn could threaten privacy and free expression.
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Meanwhile, singing anthems at England national team matches is nothing new for English 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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Many proponents believe that access to affordable models will act as a leveler, allowing smaller enterprises to innovate, test, and gain insights in ways previously that were previously much more challenging.
-
David DaCosta, of the 18-acre Ace*Mission Studios, is among those pushing for what’s known as a Business Improvement District, or BID, in the area that proponents refer to as the Boyle Heights Industrial Flats, which runs adjacent to the river.
Noun
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Heat coach Erik Spoelstra at the time downplayed the confrontation, with the Heat routinely making peace after acquiring former Heat instigators.
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The parents, arguably the film’s first instigators, operate based off fear of their children’s sexuality.
Cite this Entry
“Provocateurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateurs. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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