as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a calculating provocateur, she has made a career out of controversy for its own sake
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provocateur
While some men are jumping on board, the most popular of these creators—which range from nobodies doing voiceovers to far-right provocateurs like Candance Owens and Megyn Kelly—are women speaking to other women.
—
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2025
The skepticism had some basis—Gaga really did borrow from musical provocateurs before her (the foremost being, yes, Madonna).
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Two months before Baldwin was scheduled to go on trial for Hutchins’ death, he also was caught in another viral clip, trying not to lose his temper in his neighborhood coffee shop when he was confronted by another social media provocateur.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
As evidence seems to implicate Russian agents in the attack, Mullen grows obsessed with a leftist hacktivist collective, a provocateur talk show host (Dan Stevens) who fans the conspiratorial flames and an extremist tech billionaire (Gaby Hoffman) who would be happy to tear the whole system down.
—Chris Vognar, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2025
The skepticism had some basis—Gaga really did borrow from musical provocateurs before her (the foremost being, yes, Madonna).
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Two months before Baldwin was scheduled to go on trial for Hutchins’ death, he also was caught in another viral clip, trying not to lose his temper in his neighborhood coffee shop when he was confronted by another social media provocateur.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
As evidence seems to implicate Russian agents in the attack, Mullen grows obsessed with a leftist hacktivist collective, a provocateur talk show host (Dan Stevens) who fans the conspiratorial flames and an extremist tech billionaire (Gaby Hoffman) who would be happy to tear the whole system down.
—Chris Vognar, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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Parnell, the Pentagon spokesperson, said the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which has been carrying out strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, will stay in the region through this month, though its deployment there was scheduled to have ended at the end of March.—
Haley Britzky,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2025
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The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Dice is excited to provide a safe space for artists and promoters to host events without the inherent exclusivity of a DIY space, where venue addresses often are left off of flyers as a protective measure.—
Steven Donofrio,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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Encourage advocacy: Happy customers are the best promoters of a brand.—
Deboshree Sarkar,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Loomer’s Role in Firings: The firing of national security officials on the advice of Laura Loomer, a far-right agitator and conspiracy theorist, unsettled even some veteran Trump officials.—
Michael D. Shear,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Northerners were seen as outside agitators, trying to spread the notion that Black literacy was a good idea.—
Peter Greene,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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However, proponents believe navel pulling can offer all these benefits and enhance overall vitality.2 Much of this practice is rooted in Ayurveda, an alternative approach to medicine that has existed for thousands of years.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
26 Mar. 2025
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Musk and other autonomous vehicle proponents have pushed for simpler rules and exemptions to restrictions on vehicles that don’t have human controls.—
Bloomberg,
The Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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With Friday’s guilty impeachment verdict from the country’s Constitutional Court, the former prosecutor and conservative firebrand’s political career is likely over, especially because Yoon still faces criminal charges that could land him in prison for life.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
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Trump endorsed Fine, a controversial conservative firebrand who served eight years in the Florida House and was recently elected to the state Senate.—
Steven Lemongello,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Dozens of Khalil supporters showed up at the New Jersey courtroom, necessitating an overflow room for those who wanted to watch the proceedings.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
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About forty per cent of the graduates of the Army’s infantry officer schools, Peri notes, come from the dati leumi, or nationalist Orthodox minority, many of them extremist yeshiva students and supporters of settlements.—
Bernard Avishai,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Venezuela’s autocratic demagogue held a 2007 referendum to re-write the Constitution.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2025
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Trump is an evil demagogue who throws horrible stuff at us about this populist moment.—
Ailia Zehra,
The Hill,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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His unit was in western Iraq, at a time of fierce fighting against insurgent forces and car bombs.—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2025
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From Myanmar comes the story of a student turned insurgent who joined a militant guerilla group set on overthrowing the country’s military junta.—
The Dial,
The Dial,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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