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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 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 However, his light-hearted approach provokes the hostility of the church. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 17 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
  • Anh’s protectiveness is apparent from the film’s start, including a scene in which Anh encourages Olive to sit with her in the front of their class.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Re-creating the Herculaneum scrolls To date, one entire scroll and passages from others have been deciphered, largely thanks to the Vesuvius Challenge, a project launched in 2023 that encourages researchers to decode scrolls for cash prizes.
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of encourages
Verb
  • Sunday’s game will also mark the annual Pink Day ODI, which raises money for cancer research and treatment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • For critics inside the church, however, that raises a difficult question about the kind of assistance priests should offer soldiers.
    — CNN Staff, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 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
  • Hamm also created the Harold Hamm International Prize for Biomedical Research in Diabetes, which recognizes and promotes lasting achievements in diabetes research.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than promising to make people rich through high-risk investments, Ramsey promotes a simple system of paying off debt, building an emergency fund, and investing for retirement.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of promotes
Verb
  • 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
  • While science is often perceived as cold and overly logical, for Schroeder its practice stirs a humility and appreciation for the vastness of nature and the depth of time.
    — Brad Balukjian, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of stirs
Verb
  • Each gate needs written pass criteria, stop criteria and a limit of one extension; a second miss triggers the decision to stop use.
    — Hiromi Nakatani, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Scientists understand many of the factors linked to this process but cannot fully explain what triggers it in the first place.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of triggers
Verb
  • Leslie, who led the Sparks to two WNBA championships, hopes her statue inspires young girls pursue their basketball dreams.
    — Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The promise of coffee inspires many of us to get out of bed in the morning.
    — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 20 Sep. 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 30 Sep. 2026.

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