as in aggravated
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of provoked
Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
Similar summaries of the show in the magazine Soap Opera Digest provoked outrage within the fledgling magazine’s readership.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Tima and Guerrier both said that often the assumption in cases of abuse and femicide is that the woman provoked the man.
—Miami Herald, 16 May 2026
The internet reacted to Instagram Instants launch The May 13 launch of Instants provoked a strong reaction in users, mostly of love or hate.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 14 May 2026
The recipe provoked an online debate among Keenan's circle and the broader community.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Meanwhile, City’s decision to host the Youth Cup final at their 7,000-capacity academy stadium — rather than their first-team stadium, in a break from competition custom — has provoked anger and upset within United, and even some disgruntlement from the blue half.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Wasps are territorial creatures that can aggressively defend their nests and protect their young if provoked.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Goodson's death provoked public outrage in Ohio as the killings of Black people by White officers increased demands for police reform following the killing of Floyd by a White police officer in Minneapolis.
—CBS News, 8 May 2026
Verb
No surprise that the rationale provoked instant social media outrage.
—Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
Similar summaries of the show in the magazine Soap Opera Digest provoked outrage within the fledgling magazine’s readership.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Tima and Guerrier both said that often the assumption in cases of abuse and femicide is that the woman provoked the man.
—Miami Herald, 16 May 2026
The internet reacted to Instagram Instants launch The May 13 launch of Instants provoked a strong reaction in users, mostly of love or hate.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 14 May 2026
The recipe provoked an online debate among Keenan's circle and the broader community.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Meanwhile, City’s decision to host the Youth Cup final at their 7,000-capacity academy stadium — rather than their first-team stadium, in a break from competition custom — has provoked anger and upset within United, and even some disgruntlement from the blue half.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Wasps are territorial creatures that can aggressively defend their nests and protect their young if provoked.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Goodson's death provoked public outrage in Ohio as the killings of Black people by White officers increased demands for police reform following the killing of Floyd by a White police officer in Minneapolis.
—CBS News, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoked
Adjective
-
Under federal immigration law, second‑degree bail jumping is classified as an aggravated felony, a designation that generally bars lawful permanent residents from seeking cancellation of removal and most other forms of relief.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
-
He was booked into the jail there on suspicion of robbery and aggravated battery, and then in October Lembke was extradited to Idaho and taken into custody at the Ada County Jail.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jimenez’s ‘Si Senor’ song was belted out at regular intervals and fans would have been encouraged to hear the Mexican, speaking after the game, open up the prospect of a return to Wolves when his Fulham contract expires this summer.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Matching the anything-goes vibe that flows through the resort, the breezy restaurant pavilion is merely a suggestion—ordering lunch or dinner to your private terrace, a candlelit table on the beach, or one of the dozen-or-so secret seating nooks scattered around the property is actively encouraged.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Foreign governments are dumping US Treasury bonds to stabilize their currencies amid the energy shock and financial volatility triggered by the Iran war.—
Tasneem Nashrulla,
semafor.com,
19 May 2026
-
The median 4-week loss after the sell signal is triggered has been 1%, according to the bank's review of 24 sell signals going back to 2011.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
For the past 10 months, since a frustrated Colbert announced the cancellation of the three-decade-old talk show in July 2025, the countdown to his farewell has been looming over Colbert and the whole of the late-night genre like a guillotine with a threadbare rope.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
In Rhode Island, school speech therapist Denise Champney said she’s seen children get so frustrated with the software’s animations and spoken prompts that one punched the screen of his Chromebook.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Economic development will be stimulated by large infrastructure investments, but energy and other resources will be strained.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
When people spend long periods in activities that require very little mental effort, those pathways may not be stimulated in the same way.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Analysts have raised concerns about concentration risks in South Korea's stock market, with an overreliance on a small group of companies raising the risk of volatility and vulnerability to geopolitical shocks, including a slowdown in data-center spending.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
Woldenberg, in response to the tariffs, had implemented a hiring freeze, put off plans to build a new warehouse, and raised the prices of his firm’s products.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
My grandmother stirred pots at dawn with instinct and devotion.—
Vikas Khanna,
Time,
13 May 2026
-
The fast-moving process has stirred concern among residents and advocacy groups, who say the search for a new supplier could sideline public input.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Its candor incited a small-scale moral panic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
After the game, Mourinho suggested Vinicius Jr had incited the incident.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provoked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoked. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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