as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a calculating provocateur, she has made a career out of controversy for its own sake
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provocateur
While some men are jumping on board, the most popular of these creators—which range from nobodies doing voiceovers to far-right provocateurs like Candance Owens and Megyn Kelly—are women speaking to other women.
—
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2025
The skepticism had some basis—Gaga really did borrow from musical provocateurs before her (the foremost being, yes, Madonna).
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Two months before Baldwin was scheduled to go on trial for Hutchins’ death, he also was caught in another viral clip, trying not to lose his temper in his neighborhood coffee shop when he was confronted by another social media provocateur.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
As evidence seems to implicate Russian agents in the attack, Mullen grows obsessed with a leftist hacktivist collective, a provocateur talk show host (Dan Stevens) who fans the conspiratorial flames and an extremist tech billionaire (Gaby Hoffman) who would be happy to tear the whole system down.
—Chris Vognar, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2025
The skepticism had some basis—Gaga really did borrow from musical provocateurs before her (the foremost being, yes, Madonna).
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Two months before Baldwin was scheduled to go on trial for Hutchins’ death, he also was caught in another viral clip, trying not to lose his temper in his neighborhood coffee shop when he was confronted by another social media provocateur.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
As evidence seems to implicate Russian agents in the attack, Mullen grows obsessed with a leftist hacktivist collective, a provocateur talk show host (Dan Stevens) who fans the conspiratorial flames and an extremist tech billionaire (Gaby Hoffman) who would be happy to tear the whole system down.
—Chris Vognar, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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The new campaign of airstrikes started after the rebels threatened to resume targeting Israeli ships over Israel’s blocking of aid entering the Gaza Strip.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Its members include Lebanon's Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Yemen's Houthi rebels.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The merger proposal drew concern from competing concert promoters and venue owners, who claimed at the time that combining Ticketmaster and Live Nation would force them to work with their largest competitor.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Apr. 2025
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The concept of WrestleMania was created by Vince McMahon, a second-generation wrestling promoter who served as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for four decades before resigning from his role with the company in 2024.—
Mark LaSota,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On Monday night, anti-Israel agitators with the group Within Our Lifetime (WOL) protested in the train station’s main concourse.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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This event is being driven by left-wing extremists and paid agitators with a clear agenda.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Prospective visitors, along with park proponents, are concerned about what the parks and experiences may look like after the sweeping layoffs across the National Park Service and the larger federal government in February.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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Plan proponents saw this as a way to combat the district’s funding problems.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The senator’s appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is consistent with his popularity among young progressives who admire him as an uncompromising and outspoken firebrand.—
Matthew Mpoke Bigg,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
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Buchanan wore his Nixon loyalty as a badge of honor throughout his career as a conservative firebrand.—
Made by History,
TIME,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In a statement posted to X, Taylor congratulated Lee and acknowledged the impact of his supporters.—
Oumou Fofana,
Essence,
21 Apr. 2025
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Some supporters even lost the will to protest, feeling nothing will change.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That’s classically how a demagogue works and how a demagogue becomes a tyrant.—
Sean Illing,
Vox,
22 Feb. 2025
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And so political leaders, demagogues in particular, can provide simple answers to things that seem very complicated and that stir people in a way that can be directed.—
Sean Illing,
Vox,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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His unit was in western Iraq, at a time of fierce fighting against insurgent forces and car bombs.—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2025
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But when the streets ominously clear out and their sniper is spotted, they're forced to engage in a fierce battle with al-Qaeda insurgents.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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