provokes

verb

present tense third-person singular of provoke
1
as in encourages
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 raises
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 provokes Another question, says Professor Trotti at Ithaca College, is whether a public execution portrays strength or provokes horror. — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026 In deceptively plain diction, the hurdle of one love relationship provokes an exploration of desire and belonging. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 The development provokes a leadership shake-up on both committees, prompting speculation on who will fill the spots when the next Congress opens in January. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2026 The rooms were part of Kusama’s ongoing exploration of self-obliteration and her career-long ambition to create work that provokes a keen awareness of both one’s individual insignificance and place in the wider cosmic system. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 Now, new research reveals this kind of high-intensity training provokes a remarkably robust response throughout the bloodstream. — Will Stone, NPR, 24 Aug. 2026 The film starts in nature, and the whole experience provokes ideas and inspires something closer to poetry than nostalgia. — Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026 The second provokes disappointment, but both provide closure. — Alejandro Cárdenas Villa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 In my own research, threatening a man’s sense of manhood – but not a woman’s womanhood – reliably provokes aggression, and the men who react most strongly are those who feel the most pressure to live up to masculine ideals. — Adam Stanaland, The Conversation, 20 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provokes
  1. encourages
  2. raises
  3. stimulates
  4. promotes
  5. stirs
  6. triggers
  7. inspires
  8. incites
Verb
  • External consultants have helped redesign how the bank encourages people to disclose, simplifying the process and building trust that the information won’t be used against them.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Is there something unique about fraternities that encourages this kind of behavior?
    — Richard Hall, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourages
Verb
  • India’s voter list dispute raises election fairness concerns The protests center on India’s Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision, which the opposition says has disenfranchised millions of eligible voters.
    — Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Our hands-on preview at Gamescom 2026 also confirmed the protagonist isn’t Amanda Ripley, which instantly raises a number of questions.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of raises
Verb
  • Observation generates hypotheses; hypotheses lead to anatomical investigation; anatomy stimulates physiological questions; physiology eventually produces clinical trials.
    — Subramaniam C. Krishnan, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The intimate spa offers a number of different treatments and beauty rituals, but the standout one is Oro di Amalfi, an exclusive massage with natural lemon oils that relaxes and stimulates the chakras.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of stimulates
Verb
  • Mega Live events, which app users can register for in advance, are often 12 hours long, and Kelly said that 24-hour Lives can produce five times the GMV of a 12-hour Live, as the algorithm promotes a stream more dedicatedly the longer it’s been on.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Homeland Security devoted $20 million to the campaign, which critics say promotes Trump’s political message rather than helping the public access government services.
    — Gene Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of promotes
Verb
  • Continue reading … STAR POWER CLASH — DHS fires back at rock singer after anti-ICE concert eruption stirs outrage.
    — , FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Understanding the scope of human suffering and hopelessness in our world stirs a strong internal conflict between empathy and pragmatism.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of stirs
Verb
  • The outsider girl’s innocent invasion may just be the thing that finally triggers a war.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Getting at least four stars triggers bonuses, which total $13 billion across the industry annually.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of triggers
Verb
  • There is a near-identical robot to be found at Jalsa, an Indian restaurant in my Brooklyn neighborhood, where its presence inspires the same frisson of novelty as a hands-off steering wheel.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • This inspires Other Mommy to gruesomely kill Frank in front of Bela, including blowing his head up in an outrageous explosion of blood.
    — William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of inspires
Verb
  • Every day, there’s seemingly some new report or rumor that incites the social media machine.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The rule will also apply to any team official who incites players to leave the field of play in protest.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Definition of incites

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Cite this Entry

“Provokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provokes. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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