- present participle of provoke.
provoking
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of provoking
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.
Campbell explained that second-generation Irish identity is often misunderstood, with artistic expressions of that heritage frequently provoking mixed reactions.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
For some time, Nicaragua’s leaders have largely avoided provoking Trump.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
At the same time, the allies were trying to step back from a decades-old dependency on American technology, military power, and trade, without provoking Washington.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Price increases raise concern that consumers will buy fewer devices, reducing memory demand overall, as well as provoking worries about frosty relationships between the memory-chip companies and their biggest customers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
The threatening voice went on and on, daring him, ordering him, provoking him, rousing him for battle—but always keeping him off, prodding him back.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
Definitions 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.
