provocative

adjective

prə-ˈvä-kə-tiv How to pronounce provocative (audio)
Definition of provocativenext
as in exciting
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction a provocative editorial that sparked a heated discussion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of provocative The manager, Jordan Perry, whose theater has a history of provocative messaging, didn’t respond to Jewish Telegraphic Agency requests for comment. — Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026 Increasingly, the answer comes in the form of an intimacy coordinator — a role that Araki, long known for embracing provocative themes, employed for the first time on this project. — Anna Tingley, Variety, 31 July 2026 Despite being an intimate concentration, this fragrance lasts incredibly long and fills a room with its sweet, familiar, and provocative aroma. — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 30 July 2026 They are expected to become wiser but not louder, visible but not vain, accomplished but not demanding, and well-preserved but not provocative. — Debbie Millman, Time, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for provocative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocative
  1. exciting
  2. charged
  3. provoking
  4. motivational
  5. stimulating
  6. edgy
Adjective
  • The Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh will receive a $500,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, which is an exciting turn of events for both the store and the community.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
  • This weekend is filled to the brim with exciting new shows and movies, both from the comfort of your couch and on the big screen.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of exciting
Adjective
  • The result is an urgent, propulsive song with a raw spirit and some of Pop’s most super-charged writing with deceptively simple lyrics about love and war, dripping with desperation.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • What Happens Next Greene is likely to continue stoking controversy by breaking with her party, as conversations around immigration remain charged and divisive.
    — Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of charged
Adjective
  • The Best Books of the Year (So Far) Our editors and critics choose the most captivating, notable, brilliant, surprising, absorbing, weird, thought-provoking, and talked-about books.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 24 June 2026
  • Chiarella has come up with an ingenious premise that is as twisted as it is thought-provoking.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Definition of provoking
Adjective
  • Sharing wins and losses with others unites us, but is motivational and inspiring.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Pushing harder won't work, and neither will motivational messaging.
    — Ayaskant Sarangi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of motivational
Adjective
  • That’s really the most stimulating, but not necessarily on camera.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The study doesn’t prove that mentally stimulating activities protect the brain, but the findings fit with a growing body of research suggesting that cognitive engagement helps reduce the risk of dementia.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulating
Adjective
  • That is because late-season birds are edgy, due to hunting pressure and to increased vulnerability to natural predators.
    — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • And as Netanyahu’s coalitions hardened Schleien’s programs became edgier, skewering Netanyahu sycophants in the Likud Party, anti-élitist demagogues, cultic settlers, and rabbinic mandarins.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of edgy

Browse Nearby Words

provocations
provocative
provocatively
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Cite this Entry

“Provocative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocative. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on provocative

Nglish: Translation of provocative for Spanish Speakers

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