as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
the host's provoking opinions are the reason why people tune in to his radio talk show in the first place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in encouraging
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 raising
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
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Recent Examples of provoking
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The classics are thought-provoking, potentially life-changing books, but modern life’s pace often prevents us from reading them deeply (if at all).
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 8 Aug. 2025
Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025
With online newsfeeds, that meant algorithms prioritizing posts with more anger-provoking content, or posts that drive comparisons of beauty, wealth or success.
—Jenna Glover, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoking
Adjective
Friday might pose a thought-provoking question.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The classics are thought-provoking, potentially life-changing books, but modern life’s pace often prevents us from reading them deeply (if at all).
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
McCarthy and his cronies engineered a hysteria over left-wing ideologies and their sympathizers, encouraging tactics like loyalty oaths and provoking paranoia over a suggestion that communist spies were omnipresent in America.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025
With online newsfeeds, that meant algorithms prioritizing posts with more anger-provoking content, or posts that drive comparisons of beauty, wealth or success.
—Jenna Glover, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoking
Adjective
-
Some experts underscored the elevated risk of political violence created by social media, saying its algorithms favor provocative posts that induce user engagement but exacerbate political division.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
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The cinematic feature directed by Jordan Hemingway sees Twigs and her friend book a room with an unlucky fellow’s credit card as the scene evolves into a provocative hotel rendezvous sans fellow.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That means encouraging teams to slow down, check sender info, confirm requests through other channels and report anything that feels off.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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By encouraging tourists to visit Puerto Rico’s lauded heritage sites, Bad Bunny is uplifting narratives about the community and their power that recontextualize the island as a place for visitors from across the globe to celebrate.—
Cat Sposato,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fighting on the island had stopped, so the soldiers in the picture were not under fire, and the action of raising the flag (there is a movie of it) took all of a few seconds.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
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Finally, a potential government shutdown is looming, and talks have remained stalled as the deadline approaches, raising concerns about federal worker furloughs and service disruptions.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For context, geomagnetic storms are caused by fiery eruptions from the sun's surface that send charged particles zipping toward our planet.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
20 May 2025
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The ceremony came at a charged moment, coinciding with Columbia University canceling its graduation ceremony (and largely closing off its campus).—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2024
Verb
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For conditions already cleared by the FDA, stimulating the vagus nerve has proven benefits.—
Clarissa Brincat,
Popular Science,
25 Sep. 2025
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Dog owners are always shopping for stimulating toys for enrichment, healthy supplements and new types of fresh food to help their pups live their best life.—
Trisha Easto,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The reactor core and used nuclear fuel must be cooled to prevent them overheating and triggering dangerous meltdowns like the ones that occurred in 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami hit the Fukushima plant in Japan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Sep. 2025
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Powers at times structured the payments to avoid sending a single transaction of $10,000 or more to avoid triggering reporting obligations by the bank.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hayden Anhedönia, the singer-songwriter known as Ethel Cain, draws from an encyclopedic trove of cultural references for her work, stirring them into a Southern Gothic brew that feels uniquely her own.—
Mathias Rosenzweig,
Vogue,
26 Sep. 2025
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Just one man seamlessly weaving soul-stirring vocals, masterful guitar, piano, and bass instrumentals, and vivid narration into an experience so intimate and mesmerizing, the absence of a phone became a gift rather than a grievance.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Low-ranking states may also benefit from greater investment in public health services — promoting whole-person health and prevention of mental health conditions — that can be implemented in primary care offices, schools and other community settings, Reinert said.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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Most recently, the actor has been on the film festival circuit promoting her forthcoming movie Christy.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provoking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoking. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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