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
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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
Phil Hay, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Friday might pose a thought-provoking question.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Forbes Membership, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for provoking
Adjective
Adam Crafton’s interview with him was thought-provoking.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Friday might pose a thought-provoking question.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Benefits Premium access to exclusive events, thought-provoking conversations with global leaders and more, all available on-demand.
—Forbes Membership, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for provoking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoking
Adjective
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These had a whiff of the provocative — often viral — streetwear-leaning creations by Demna.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
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The video is one of several provocative creations produced in the days since the general purpose video and audio generation system launched.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Venus is wrapping up in Virgo in your adventure sector, encouraging you to expand through learning, travel, or fresh perspectives.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
5 Oct. 2025
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Croft urged schools to formally teach digital literacy and parents to reinforce it at home by encouraging keyboard use and balanced screen time.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The nonprofit will provide scholarships and supportive services for families raising children with autism.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Oct. 2025
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Prague Reuters — Billionaire Andrej Babis’s ANO party cruised to victory in the Czech Republic’s parliamentary election on Saturday, raising the prospect of a government that would boost Europe’s populist, anti-immigration camp and reduce support for Ukraine.—
Reuters 3 hr ago,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 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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Fiber helps increase feelings of fullness by slowing digestion and stimulating the release of satiety hormones.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
30 Sep. 2025
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Another highlight of the month is Pluto’s shift direct in Aquarius on October 13, which supercharges your joy sector, stimulating feelings of romance, creativity, play, and pleasure.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The government has challenged the ruling, triggering a lengthy appeals process — highly unusual in immigration cases that don’t involve serious crimes.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
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The game’s loot box mechanics — while not exclusive to EA — also led to backlash from gamers, triggering European regulators to investigate whether the feature constituted gambling.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Add pasta, and cook, stirring occasionally, according to package directions until tender.—
Elizabeth Mervosh,
Southern Living,
9 Oct. 2025
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Under the pretense of a back-to-school rules review, the sophomore through senior classes at Ruskin were treated to a stirring drumline performance before a shocked Sixta took the the stage.—
Ilana Arougheti
Updated October 7,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Milei instead relied on the IMF’s guidance for promoting fiscal discipline.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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Leo will soon embark on his first international trip, visiting Turkey and Lebanon, where he is expected to focus on promoting peace in the Middle East.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provoking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoking. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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