- 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.
For some time, Nicaragua’s leaders have largely avoided provoking Trump.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
In April, one of the internet’s favorite therapists asked his followers a provoking question.
From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026
André described their involvement in the programmes as "more than us supplying the answers, it's about us provoking a conversation" about how the investigation was handled.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
“That treatment gap is very anxiety provoking for patients and their families,” said Dr. Michael Garcia, chief medical officer of privately held GT Medical Technologies, the Arizona-based company that makes the tiles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
She hassled me about everything, and sometimes I enjoyed provoking her.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
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.
