1
as in to encourage
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 to raise
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
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Recent Examples of provoke
Maybe he was provoked by the color of the girl’s orange skirt?
—
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2025
Notably, Trump's public back-and-forth led to him calling for Boasberg's impeachment for his restraining order against the flights, ultimately provoking a rare comment from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Whether on the walls of galleries or in the public sphere through murals, these artists are harnessing the power of nature to uplift, inspire, and provoke thought.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Perhaps no pop song of the 2010s provoked so much debate — even from sympathetic listeners.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoke
Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2025
Notably, Trump's public back-and-forth led to him calling for Boasberg's impeachment for his restraining order against the flights, ultimately provoking a rare comment from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Whether on the walls of galleries or in the public sphere through murals, these artists are harnessing the power of nature to uplift, inspire, and provoke thought.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Perhaps no pop song of the 2010s provoked so much debate — even from sympathetic listeners.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoke
Verb
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To bring in more visitors, Katsuo-ji came up with a creative way to encourage tourists to engage with the Daruma dolls.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
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The intersection did not have lights, bells or arms to warn drivers of an approaching train, a recommendation the National Transportation Board has encouraged since 1998.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, these updates raise questions about the Oscars broadcast itself.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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But at the mention of Wade, the mood in the room immediately shifted; all around me, eyebrows raised.—
D. Watkins,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Access to the leaves will stimulate scientific research that will objectively assess coca’s medical and therapeutic potential and benefits, with the ultimate goal of making available for all people a plant that promises to improve their well-being and ease the day-to-day challenges of their lives.—
Wade Davis,
Rolling Stone,
6 Apr. 2025
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As the moon and Mars collide, rushing toward your future stimulates unnecessary stress.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In a social media post Sunday, Kennedy promoted two such practitioners who have become popular in West Texas among vaccine-hesitant families: Ben Edwards and Richard Bartlett.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2025
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Musk responded to an X user who shared a video of Navarro promoting tariffs.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Combine Ingredients In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, green onions, garlic powder, and salt.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2025
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The united court verdict and its immediate acceptance by South Korea’s two major political parties stirred hope that the young democracy can turn the page on the martial law fiasco – a jarring reminder for many citizens of the country’s dark legacy of military dictatorship as recently as the 1980s.—
Ann Scott Tyson,
Christian Science Monitor,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But yeah, maybe she’s been a vegetarian this whole time and the proteins triggered something!—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
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In the current reality, where a viral tweet can trigger a market crash, this has become a powerful and useful tool.—
Kirill Sagitov,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For now, any public attempt by Thune to check Trump would likely arouse even greater anger from the Republican base.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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This was music meant to arouse wonder and yearning.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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When the open housing marches in the summer of 1966 drew massive violence from white supremacist organizations such as the KKK and the American Nazi Party in Chicago, the Tribune cast the Black marchers as the problem for inciting trouble.—
Made by History,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
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Opposition lawmakers have accused Yoon of inciting his most extreme followers to violence, after a pro-Yoon mob stormed and defaced the courthouse that issued his arrest warrant in January.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoke. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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