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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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
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 That provoked a campaign of US strikes early in 2025, which degraded their capabilities. — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 26 July 2026 Speculation continues to swirl around Fernandez’s future, provoked further by Fernandez now being a villain in the eyes of many English soccer fans. — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Historians recall Kennedy as cool and decisive during the Cuban missile crisis, rejecting reckless advice that could have provoked a nuclear war. — Clifford Krauss, Air Mail, 25 July 2026 Broadnose sevengill sharks are considered aggressive when provoked and are classified as dangerous in both Australia and New Zealand, per the Institute. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026 Fear provoked his legendary rages—breaking chairs, throwing things, cutting people out of his life. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 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
  • His son, 16-year-old Colt Gray, pleaded guilty to all 55 counts against him, including murder and aggravated assault.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • State prison records show Milton has previously done years behind bars for burglary, retail theft, drug possession, armed robbery and aggravated battery, among other convictions, stretching back to the late 1990s.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
Definition of aggravated
Verb
  • More than 48 hours later, the team hasn’t released any MRI results and Bader has declined to provide public comments, despite being encouraged by the club to talk to reporters or make a statement.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Cruz and Bardem have always encouraged their children’s creative pursuits.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of encouraged
Verb
  • However, amongst all of these cases, there are some that were seemingly triggered remotely, and this leads Batou and Togusa on the trail of a shady robotics manufacturer, with a corrupt and entirely cybernetic boss.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • The Iran war triggered a historic oil shortage that drove up fuel costs and catapulted inflation to a three-year high.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 29 July 2026
Definition of triggered
Adjective
  • Sudbury had grown frustrated seeing so many people dedicate themselves to changing their lives but still fail to secure housing or work once background checks were run.
    — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Philips is quick to push back on the idea that his story is a plug-and-play template for frustrated twenty-somethings who can’t land a corporate job.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrated
Verb
  • Beijing's pullback of NEV subsidies, which had previously stimulated consumer appetite, has tempered demand for cars in 2026.
    — Matthew Tan,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 20 July 2026
  • Many major tech companies engineered environments designed to keep smart people in the building longer—fed, caffeinated and stimulated enough to move at a pace that older, slower companies couldn't match.
    — Vince Carrabba, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of stimulated
Verb
  • Multiple people familiar with the matter said the crown prince raised concerns about plans for potential strikes on Iran during the call.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The union has also raised questions about Cázares' role as fiscal advisor, pointing to her previous work overseeing other financially troubled school districts and questioning her compensation.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 1 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
  • Bernstine brings just enough light to her tortured cop, while McNairy brings just enough anguish to his good-hearted caretaker.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 July 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • Finding other sources of revenue to replace a portion of property taxes has stirred debate among local policymakers.
    — Stephanie Leiser, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Butter, sugar, and berries are stirred together with a batter and baked in a square dish.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 1 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 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on provoked

Nglish: Translation of provoked for Spanish Speakers

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