1
as in excitement
something that arouses a strong response from another
a patient man who gets angry only from the greatest of provocations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity
ready to retaliate at the slightest provocation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provocation
Absent a major provocation, few U.S. leaders, especially one as image conscious as Trump, would relish another such misadventure.
—
Robert A. Pape, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
Read: Stephen Miller triggers Los Angeles As is common in modern protests, there has also been ample viral footage from news organizations showing militarized police responding aggressively in encounters, sometimes without provocation.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
Popular opposition was fueled in part by the belief that U.S. nuclear weapons were not a deterrent against Soviet aggression, as NATO leaders argued, but a vehicle for reckless provocation and warmongering.
—Florence Gaub, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Supporting Athletic means acting with respect, not falling into provocations or losing our manners.
—Ali Rampling, New York Times, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Robert A. Pape, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
Read: Stephen Miller triggers Los Angeles As is common in modern protests, there has also been ample viral footage from news organizations showing militarized police responding aggressively in encounters, sometimes without provocation.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
Popular opposition was fueled in part by the belief that U.S. nuclear weapons were not a deterrent against Soviet aggression, as NATO leaders argued, but a vehicle for reckless provocation and warmongering.
—Florence Gaub, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Supporting Athletic means acting with respect, not falling into provocations or losing our manners.
—Ali Rampling, New York Times, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocation
Noun
-
Fan engagement is up, and innovations like the Pit Boost have added excitement.—
Jenn Nelson,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Christen expressed her excitement in her Instagram Story shortly after uploading the news to her feed.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement While there has never been a federal mandate to buy electric vehicles, Trump’s bill does eliminate federal tax incentives for electric-vehicle owners, which is expected to hurt Musk’s company Tesla.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
7 July 2025
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While these efforts have generally failed to boost birth rates, one notable exception is the Hubei province city of Tianmen, where incentives were followed by a notable surge in births last year.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Noun
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Chinese markets were sharply higher in earlier trading, buoyed by signs of possible additional stimulus measures in China and Goldman Sachs Group’s upgrade of Hong Kong stocks to market-weight.—
Teresa Cerojano,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
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Using a tool to measure how patients perceive stimuli like temperature and touch, researchers in Germany found that women with lipedema had a lower pain threshold compared with other women.—
Francesca Gilbard,
NBC news,
10 July 2025
Noun
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But another member of the Southeastern Connecticut delegation who served as the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Aundre Bumgardner, D-Groton, said that the Plainfield proposal had been the primary impetus for the bill.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
9 July 2025
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Still, Streeter suggested that further pressure from the U.K. regulator could provide the impetus required to accelerate changes within the company.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Jason Bateman even offered Shepard some encouragement to lock it down.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
12 July 2025
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What a torrent of encouragement and loving advice and undeserved flattery over the years!—
John Updike,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Being direct with people earns their respect faster than any lecture about motivation.—
Marek Niedzwiedz,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Numerous questions remain about the shooting, including Crooks’ motivation.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocation. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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