provoke
Americanverb (used with object)
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provokes,
present (3rd person singular)
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provoked,
past participle, past
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provoking
present participle
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to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.
- Synonyms:
- infuriate, exacerbate, aggravate, annoy, irk
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to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity).
The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.
-
to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
-
to give rise to, induce, or bring about.
What could have provoked such an incident?
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Obsolete. to summon.
verb
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to anger or infuriate
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to cause to act or behave in a certain manner; incite or stimulate
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to promote (certain feelings, esp anger, indignation, etc) in a person
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obsolete to summon
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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provokernoun
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overprovokeverb
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misprovokeverb (used with object)
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preprovokeverb (used with object)
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provokingadjective
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provokinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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provokesimple
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provokessimple
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have provokedperfect
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has provokedperfect
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am provokingprogressive
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are provokingprogressive
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is provokingprogressive
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have been provokingperfect progressive
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has been provokingperfect progressive
Past
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provokedsimple
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had provokedperfect
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was provokingprogressive
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were provokingprogressive
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had been provokingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of provoke
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin prōvocāre “to call forth, challenge, provoke,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + vocāre “to call”; akin to vōx voice
Explanation
Anything that brings about a strong reaction can be said to provoke. You can provoke that lion if you want. But if he responds by attacking, don't come running to me. Let's consider some people who have been known to provoke. Lenny Bruce, was more than just a comedian. He was a "provocateur" who used humor to deliver his controversial diatribes. Humor was his way to provoke people to think. Madonna made her name not only by producing a memorable catalogue of great pop songs, she proved herself to be a master at provoking people through her outrageous attire and lyrics. The moral of this story? It's possible to provoke both positive and negative responses.
Vocabulary lists containing provoke
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Just eight days before the vigil, Almontaser had publicly endorsed Mamdani’s new strategy to combat antisemitism—the same initiative that had helped provoke the student protest.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
"Our aim by increasing investment in national defence is not to provoke, rather, it is to deter war," President Lai Ching-te said in speech to celebrate Taiwan's National Day.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
The new owners just need to find the magic button to spit out hit shows while getting a handle on costs and applying new technologies that so far only provoke revulsion from Hollywood union members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
She has never been diagnosed with an underlying seizure disorder, such as epilepsy, and a medical test to provoke a seizure in Linton after the crash came back with no abnormal brain activity, prosecutors said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
I’d given more information than necessary in my unwilling honesty, and I worried it would provoke the strange anger that flared whenever I slipped and revealed too clearly how obsessed I was.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
The organisation said the attack "provokes the sentiments of Muslims worldwide" and represented a dangerous escalation.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Truly creative and inspiring art undermines that goal, because it provokes responses like empathy and critical thinking in audiences — which gets in the way of authoritarian domination.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
But whether they found it indispensable or utterly disgusting, it was clear that ranch provokes strong opinions, which is essential for success in the attention economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
"There is something for some people which is very threatening about this work, which provokes a certain reaction," Father Andrew says.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
“Take charge of him. You speak his tongue. See that he is fed and find him a warm place by the fire. Stay with him. See that no one provokes him.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
The renowned Brazilian chef also emphasized the "cultural loss" provoked by El Nino, referring to the disappearance of tradition along with the unavailable ingredient.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
And Univision Fresno provoked the Valley’s Latino community last year when it canceled a Spanish-language morning show featuring beloved anchor Lupita Lomeli.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
When terrorists attacked America on Sept. 11, 2001, they provoked a response that, seen from today’s perspective, seems remarkable: The country immediately united across every political and ideological divide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
When Hurricane Sandy arrived off the US East Coast in October 2012, it provoked a storm surge that flooded the city.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Wagner followers gloried in the alarm his work often provoked among outsiders.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
They say these molecules may have several practical advantages, including relatively inexpensive production, stability and a low likelihood of provoking an immune response.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026
When the party got together in the same West Midlands venue a year ago, they were an insurgency provoking intrigue and attention and demonstrating plenty of momentum.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Then two 6-10 players suddenly showed up at Kennedy, provoking a City Section investigation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
It said such devices contributed to higher atmospheric pollution of nitrogen oxides that are suspected of "provoking the development of respiratory diseases in humans".
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
“I think if anyone was doing the provoking, it was Drew,” I said.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
