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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provokes
But the question of what is true or not is futile, even if Calle deliberately provokes this curiosity.
—
Elisa Wouk Almino
editor, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
The visual effect provokes strikes, but the vibrations also stimulate the receptors in a bass's lateral line.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026
At work, Paige (Elle Chapman) punches a coworker who provokes her with truly unkind remarks about her father's death.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2026
The aroma of coffee brewing reliably provokes desire.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Deadline can reveal the first trailer for the radical love story revolving around Suzanne and undocumented migrant Osmane, whose relationship provokes a wave of anger and indignation all around them, forcing them to resist.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Fogel is always looking for the visual angle that provokes an emotional response.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
This ends up being just one of Aemond’s defining moments, which further provokes war.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Elisa Wouk Almino
editor, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
The visual effect provokes strikes, but the vibrations also stimulate the receptors in a bass's lateral line.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026
At work, Paige (Elle Chapman) punches a coworker who provokes her with truly unkind remarks about her father's death.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2026
The aroma of coffee brewing reliably provokes desire.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Deadline can reveal the first trailer for the radical love story revolving around Suzanne and undocumented migrant Osmane, whose relationship provokes a wave of anger and indignation all around them, forcing them to resist.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Fogel is always looking for the visual angle that provokes an emotional response.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
This ends up being just one of Aemond’s defining moments, which further provokes war.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provokes
Verb
-
Referred to as micro-celebrations, this trend encourages us to get together more frequently and, sometimes, just because.—
Wendy Rose Gould,
Martha Stewart,
9 Apr. 2026
-
While Mars wants to sprint forward, Luna encourages strategy, discipline and pragmatism.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Their union, which raises money for scholarship programs, and sick and wounded police officers, has cut ties with their outside fundraising vendor TCI America.—
Juli McDonald,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Unions and district remain apart on salary increases, with teachers seeking 17% raises and Local 99 workers — some of the lowest-paid — also wanting stability.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Beta-glucan also stimulates the release of GLP-1 from the gut, sending hormonal signals of fullness to the brain.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
-
This molecule directly stimulates bone-building cells, helping increase bone density and strength.—
Hadia Zainab,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The nearly 3-minute song promotes confidence and self-expression with an upbeat tune.—
Joyann Jeffrey,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But, what a lot of the longevity industry promotes offers drops in the bucket while things that can have the greatest impact go undervalued, Swisher said.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If travel, coursework, or a belief debate stirs friction, skip arguing about theory in favor of grounding the talk with real-life examples.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The intuitive Moon stirs your 7th House of Companionship, squaring fortuitous Jupiter in your 4th House of Care, so promises and comfort could pull in opposite directions.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Doing so triggers an automatic stay, which immediately halts most wage garnishments while the case is processed.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
An attempt to restrict VPNs reportedly triggers a bank outage.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Perreault’s emergence inspires hope that the Rangers have at least one young forward to build their top six around.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The phrase either inspires excitement or incites fear among adults who are lucky enough to still have their parents and siblings around and still want to hang out with them.—
Sarah James,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
-
January 20 – February 18 When tension incites change, your presence can be a guiding light.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provokes. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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