as in rudely
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Recent Examples of provocatively
Is there a benefit in living that long, Green provocatively asks.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
In ’50s England, her professional academic lesbian shows up in a provocatively sexy outfit with a gauzy bodice.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
His decimal-point scores were provocatively precise, calculated to start fights.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
So far Kremlin commissars have threatened to wage war against two nations—Germany and South Africa—to stave off Putin’s detention, and have even provocatively warned that the headquarters of the ICC, in the Dutch city The Hague, could be blasted by Moscow’s missiles.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
In ’50s England, her professional academic lesbian shows up in a provocatively sexy outfit with a gauzy bodice.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
His decimal-point scores were provocatively precise, calculated to start fights.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
So far Kremlin commissars have threatened to wage war against two nations—Germany and South Africa—to stave off Putin’s detention, and have even provocatively warned that the headquarters of the ICC, in the Dutch city The Hague, could be blasted by Moscow’s missiles.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocatively
Adverb
-
But there’s a big difference between knowing that a relative is a pill and loving them through it and being rudely insulted by a relative and just sucking it up.—
Eric Thomas,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Jan. 2026
-
For instance, the Alfie who was very serious about Mindy one night before would not suddenly bail because her ex — whom Mindy blocked everywhere — rudely accosted her at her job.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
18 Dec. 2025
Adverb
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Men sneered contemptuously at them, while teenagers used their names as insults.—
Mikhail Zygar,
Vanity Fair,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Soundman Loch Townsend coolly exposed the film and handed the reel to the queen’s panicking press secretary, who took it with relief.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Nick coolly informed me about the promotions available to new users, then went about the work of validating my license and verifying my profile via his tablet.—
Jasper Craven,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
As if the question arose, thought Leonora scornfully.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
That focus on efficiency included a coldly logical approach to salary-cap management, and an update of the bruising defense that Belichick had pioneered with 49ers old rivals, the 1980s iteration of the New York Giants.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
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Where is my rice-bartering Angelina Keeley, my coldly strategic Genevieve Mushaluk, my financial analyst Emily Flippen, or my real-life Buffalo Bills fan Kyle?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Adverb
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The camera then switches from the chaos of the puppy, to the kitten—who is sitting in a relaxed position, blinking slowly, and staring almost disdainfully at the wriggling puppy.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Bella, in her podcast conversation with Trinny Woodall, recalled that once, at a village post office, a shop assistant disdainfully called her a hippie.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Not obnoxiously hipster, but cool and sophisticated.—
Tom Morris,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Cackles, even, as the obnoxiously loud guy sitting behind me barked throughout the show.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provocatively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocatively. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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