provoke
Americanverb (used with object)
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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
-
to promote (certain feelings, esp anger, indignation, etc) in a person
-
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:
"It is defended precisely when those opinions disturb or provoke disagreement, provided that they form part of democratic debate, as is the case across all of our media outlets."
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Refn: How to provoke the soul is through stillness and silence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Across the street, Seattle host committee officials insisted that the timing of the Pride Match was not designed to provoke.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
But unlike the penalty kick Messi missed in North America 10 years ago in the Copa America, this one didn’t provoke a retirement tantrum.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Besides, the next day brought my piano lesson, and it was always a good idea to be rested and in top form so as not to provoke Miss Brown.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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
Fractile joins hardware startups that have been racing to bring products to market and strike deals with major customers as agentic AI provokes an upsurge in computing demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
"I understand the anger and fear this provokes, and I will quickly meet with the Jewish community. It must always feel safe in our country," he added.
From Barron's ● Mar. 14, 2026
It provokes wonder at the density and dynamism of a fantasy city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
It's a voice that provokes first irritation and then eagerness.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
The dismissal provoked criticism among Ukrainians who credit Mykhailo Fedorov for his efforts to modernize the country’s armed forces.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
That conflict provoked a sharp contraction in the manufacturing economy, with the Institute for Supply Management’s purchasing managers index falling to 49.1 by mid-2019.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Her death provoked widespread public grief and anger over the continued activity of paramilitary groups, which plagued the province during three decades of sectarian violence known as the Troubles.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
But it provoked a war that despite the regime's survival has done huge damage to Iran.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Dazed by the blow and the completely unexpected reaction he had provoked, Ranofer could only stare.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
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
For some time, Nicaragua’s leaders have largely avoided provoking Trump.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Carney would try to sway the outcome, without provoking the superpower that imports three-quarters of Canada’s goods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
A giant new hospital being built in the Brittany city of Nantes for example will have air-conditioning in only half its rooms, provoking the wrath of medical trade unions.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
I don’t have occasion to use my mean mouth on boys, since they don’t say provoking things to me.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
