provoke

[ pruh-vohk ]
/ prəˈvoʊk /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR provoke ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), pro·voked, pro·vok·ing.

to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.
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?
Obsolete. to summon.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
Question 1 of 10
decorum
the act of or need for making up one's mind.
dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
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Origin of provoke

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin prōvocāre to call forth, challenge, provoke, equivalent to prō- pro-1 + vocāre to call; akin to vōx voice

synonym study for provoke

1. See irritate. 2, 3. See incite.

OTHER WORDS FROM provoke

Words nearby provoke

provitamin d2, provo, provocateur, provocation, provocative, provoke, provoking, provolone, provost, provost court, provost guard
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to provoker

trespasser, assailant, invader, intruder, instigator, raider, initiator, agitator, firebrand, goad, incendiary, operative, rabble-rouser, radical, ringleader, spark, spy, troublemaker, provocateur

Example sentences from the Web for provoker

British Dictionary definitions for provoker

provoke
/ (prəˈvəʊk) /

verb (tr)

to anger or infuriate
to cause to act or behave in a certain manner; incite or stimulate
to promote (certain feelings, esp anger, indignation, etc) in a person
obsolete to summon

Derived forms of provoke

provoking, adjectiveprovokingly, adverb

Word Origin for provoke

C15: from Latin prōvocāre to call forth, from vocāre to call
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012