as in rudely
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Recent Examples of provocatively
Rebuilding that story around its female lead could have made for a provocatively modern interpretation.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
For this reason, consciousness studies, Pollan provocatively suggests, may prompt the first scientific revolution in nearly 500 years.
—Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Most provocatively, Musk revealed that the company’s factory in Fremont, California, would be transformed into a production facility for Optimus, an abrupt end to well over a decade of automotive manufacturing at the facility.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
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
David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
For this reason, consciousness studies, Pollan provocatively suggests, may prompt the first scientific revolution in nearly 500 years.
—Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Most provocatively, Musk revealed that the company’s factory in Fremont, California, would be transformed into a production facility for Optimus, an abrupt end to well over a decade of automotive manufacturing at the facility.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocatively
Adverb
-
This Bride comes alive roughly and rudely not having given her consent either.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The writers are headed to Mohonk for a workshop, which will be rudely interrupted by, of course, a murder (or two) and subsequent chaos.—
Angela Lian,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Hazel swung the lamp in her hand and looked contemptuously at Ginny, surrounded by the naturalists and the teachers, who whispered encouragement.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Men sneered contemptuously at them, while teenagers used their names as insults.—
Mikhail Zygar,
Vanity Fair,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
However, as Nottingham Forest’s Nicolas Dominguez raced to close him down, Szoboszlai coolly took responsibility.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
When Samantha coolly responds no more than once, Baines can’t take it.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
As if the question arose, thought Leonora scornfully.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Then there’s Rick Devens, whose reputation coming off of his fourth-place finish in season 38’s Edge of Extinction is less of a coldly calculating snake than a perpetual-motion machine whose strategizing and idol-hunting has the 50 returnees already exhausted at the thought of playing with him.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Duvall possessed a Brando-like intensity in the Seventies, whether as the coldly strategic Tom Hagen in the Godfather pictures or as Frank Hackett, the soulless, hotheaded executive in Sidney Lumet’s bruising satire Network.—
Tim Grierson,
Rolling Stone,
16 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
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 10 Mar. 2026.
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