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.
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to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
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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:
But the powers of the new authorities, the practicalities of change and the simple geography of some council areas are still likely to provoke a huge discussion.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
The Romanian filmmaker’s stoic drama is designed to provoke viewers in opposite directions, snaring them in waiting traps and causing them to concede in agony, “You have a point!”
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
“It was both an inspired idea and a safe move,” he concludes, because Anderson was widely respected and thus less apt to provoke objections among the Met’s most hidebound subscribers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
His father, Francisco, was also wary, afraid that the town’s militarization would somehow provoke further conflict.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
It was just short of an accusation, obviously meant to provoke a reaction from Matthew.
From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson
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 fancy chicken, even if it is expensive to prepare, provokes people in a different way.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
But if West provokes a contest now, that rules Burnham out.
From BBC ● May 9, 2026
It provokes wonder at the density and dynamism of a fantasy city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
I’ll see whether that provokes something—an unnatural response, any kind of reaction.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
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
Supriyono, another protest coordinator, told AFP he was concerned the unrest could have been deliberately provoked.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
That’s almost certainly what provoked Carney to fight back, and no conceivable Canadian leader could have done otherwise.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
But Acanthophis wellsi Hoser, which was the first species Mr. Hoser named, provoked a controversy when he announced it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
And the food and drink provoked people into behavior that resembled nothing less than high drama.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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
For some time, Nicaragua’s leaders have largely avoided provoking Trump.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
The decisive question is how long Iran's leaders can preserve Hormuz as leverage without provoking an all-out war, renewed unrest or the construction of alternative routes that make the strait matter less.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 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
The suitors made wide eyes at one another and set to work provoking Telemakhos with jokes about his friends.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
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.
