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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 Sydney Sweeney sparked widespread backlash following the release of her provocative campaign for a sports trading app. — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026 At a time when even intentionally provocative genre films can’t keep up with the pace of futurism, Minhaj and Venkataramanujam also use their topical chops to make this bubbly effort particularly of the moment. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 His provocative celebrity coverage throughout the 2000s and 2010s also generated years of controversy and several lawsuits. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026 Bob Mackie, the fashion designer whose visually provocative Hollywood style defined glamour for the 1970s -- including putting Carol Burnett in some of her kookiest getups and Cher in her raciest ones -- died Monday. — Mark Kennedy The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 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
  • Here’s to a safe, healthy and exciting new school year ahead.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Learning about the finance side has also been an exciting challenge.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 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
  • The motivational phrase helped carry the British people through the adversity of World War II.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Connected trainers, with streaks, reminders and visualized progress, target exactly that motivational gap.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of motivational
Adjective
  • These adaptogenics also cost as much, if not more, than alcoholic spirits, such as Three Spirit, which incorporates ingredients such as guayusa (stimulating effects), damiana (aphrodisiac effects) and valerian (stress-relieving effects).
    — Esther Tseng, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Often found in skin care products in light of their ability to proliferate collagen, peptides fare equally well in hair products by virtue of their follicle-stimulating, scalp-soothing benefits.
    — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of stimulating
Adjective
  • So that fascinated me, the fact that these fields were somehow kind of edgy in terms of our definition of the scientific method and so on.
    — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The actress wore an edgy asymmetrical crop top paired with an unusual bubble silhouette skirt.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 19 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 2026.

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