provoked 1 of 2

adjective

as in aggravated

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provoked

2 of 2

verb

past tense of provoke
1
as in encouraged
to rouse to strong feeling or action his teasing finally provoked her to anger bees generally will not sting unless they are provoked

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in triggered
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being rankings that are sure to provoke an argument among film buffs

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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 provoked
Verb
The sources added that the relationship breakdown also provoked serious concerns about the wellbeing of the senior colleague. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026 Even the smaller discoveries, like the shovel found in the rock area, provoked the kind of reflection that Idaho Public Archaeology hopes to spur. — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2026 The loss of virtual companions has provoked a flood of complaints, according to posts and screenshots shown on social media. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 Users of virtual companions protest, seek alternatives The loss of virtual companions has provoked a flood of complaints, according to posts and screenshots shown on social media. — Fu Ting, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 The ensuing conflict provoked one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 But this latest barrage is both broader and more intense, largely because Ukraine’s recent successes, particularly inside Russia, have provoked Putin to try to reclaim battlefield momentum. — Ian Bremmer, Time, 31 July 2026 That bitter end came in extra time at the 2006 World Cup final, when Zidane, who had already said the game would be his last as a player at age 34, was provoked into headbutting opponent Marco Materazzi and got sent off. — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 28 July 2026 Palestinian local authorities say the settlers provoked the violence. — Reuters, NBC news, 27 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoked
  1. aggravated
  2. encouraged
  3. triggered
  4. frustrated
  5. stimulated
  6. raised
  7. tortured
  8. stirred
Adjective
  • Oklahoma City saw increases in homicides, rapes and robberies, while aggravated assaults only decreased by eight year-over-year.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Chicago police said Lavonne Glenn, 32, has been charged with felony counts of first murder and aggravated assault.
    — Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggravated
Verb
  • Students avoided asking questions that could be considered controversial, and teachers no longer encouraged open discussion.
    — Fatima Faizi, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Patients should be encouraged to ask who manufactured the product, why it is being recommended, whether FDA has evaluated it and how to report an adverse reaction.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of encouraged
Verb
  • Tatis triggered a sequence that tied the game in the eighth inning.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Late last month, The Wall Street Journal reported an internal whistleblower complaint about Walter’s Guggenheim Investments triggered a federal investigation.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of triggered
Adjective
  • Giulio, a dissatisfied 16-year-old, drifts through life with no enthusiasm for his education or his future, much to his family’s dismay (particularly his endlessly frustrated mother, brilliantly played by Monica Bellucci).
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Giulio a dissatisfied 16-year-old, drifts through life with no enthusiasm for his education or his future, much to his family’s dismay (particularly his endlessly frustrated mother, brilliantly played by Monica Bellucci).
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrated
Verb
  • So the majority of product [is] stimulated by patient interaction, and the hero product has to be the Polish.
    — Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • What might have seemed dull to a thought stimulated by the senses or by intellectual pursuits becomes an opportunity to listen for what Christ is imparting to us – nurturing our progress in understanding the things of Spirit, God.
    — Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulated
Verb
  • Extended deployments of carriers – which can have more than 5,000 sailors and Marines on board – have raised concerns about the impact not only on the ships but on service members.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Mangione’s lawyers raised concerns when he was first charged in both jurisdictions that the 28-year-old was unfairly being tried twice for the same crime.
    — Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of raised
Adjective
  • The committee is tasked with analyzing and reviewing problematic conference papers and enhancing quality screening of articles prior to publication to detect integrity issues such as plagiarism and tortured phrases.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026
  • This discovery stunned de Man’s colleagues and students, and was particularly traumatic for Derrida, who attempted a tortured but ultimately unconvincing reckoning with what his friend had written as a young man.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • The pepperonis are sautéed in oil with onion, then stirred into a rich tomato sauce that’s poured over thin spaghetti noodles (or whatever other pasta shape your crew likes).
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026
  • When most of us think about edible seeds, our minds usually jump to chia seeds stirred into smoothies or overnight oats, pumpkin seeds roasted after carving jack-o'-lanterns each fall, or sunflower seeds chewed and spit out at a baseball game.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of stirred

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Cite this Entry

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

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Nglish: Translation of provoked for Spanish Speakers

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