1
as in to encourage
to rouse to strong feeling or action
his teasing finally provoked her to anger bees generally will not sting unless they are provoked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to raise
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
rankings that are sure to provoke an argument among film buffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 provoke
The pedagogy also helped provoke direct political action.
—
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.
—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
Butler had pleaded guilty to harassment likely to provoke violence, felon in possession of a weapon and theft in Alaska, but did not report to jail.
—
Jen Guadarrama,
IndyStar,
12 June 2026
Experts don’t fully agree on how helpful a low-histamine diet—which limits histamine-provoking foods—is for systemic mastocytosis.
—
Gagandeep Brar,
Health,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for provoke
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.
—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
Butler had pleaded guilty to harassment likely to provoke violence, felon in possession of a weapon and theft in Alaska, but did not report to jail.
—
Jen Guadarrama,
IndyStar,
12 June 2026
Experts don’t fully agree on how helpful a low-histamine diet—which limits histamine-provoking foods—is for systemic mastocytosis.
—
Gagandeep Brar,
Health,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for provoke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoke
Verb
-
Valentine also testified that the FDA encourages infant formula companies to send in all adverse event reports and that nothing prevented Mead Johnson from doing so.
-
Going forward, the city will encourage data center developers to submit an application for a special use district, meaning the site would specifically be used for a data center, nothing else.
Verb
-
But the data center boom has raised many questions about land use, the resources the complexes consume and the risk of costs being spread to other Georgia residents and businesses.
-
Gonzales ran with a platform decisively to the left, supporting Medicare-for-all, raising the minimum wage and cracking down on junk fees.
Verb
-
Inside, soy proteins repair and strengthen, copper peptides stimulate keratin production–aka the protein that fortifies and minimizes frizz–and pro-B vitamins amplify fullness.
-
Deadheading spent blooms will stimulate the plant to produce more flowers.
Verb
-
While promoting Cape Fear on the SmartLess podcast, Adams told the story of saving a man’s life in Santa Monica.
-
Supporters of Amendment 3 have used Thursday’s court ruling to promote the new amendment.
Verb
-
On and on, these songs stir the soul.
-
In fact, NBCUniversal is wading into the buzz round Polymarket, Kalshi and other prediction market services that have stirred controversy.
Verb
-
Attorney Al Watkins, who represented the McCloskeys during the early stages of the controversy, said one of the biggest misconceptions about the case is what triggered the confrontation in the first place.
-
The satellite's primary objective, though, is to observe gamma-ray bursts – events triggered by the catastrophic deaths of massive stars and considered to be the most powerful types of explosions in the universe.
Verb
-
In the hour-long special, taped the Skirball in New York City in March, Barone aims to shock, amuse, and arouse.
-
Overview The emergence of teleSUR has aroused significant interest due to its uniqueness of being the first regional television channel purely financed by more than three Latin American states.
Verb
-
Halfway through its ten-episode first season, Nick Antosca’s series lacks the basic elements that make Cape Fear, down to the inciting incident.
-
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
Cite this Entry
“Provoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoke. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
