1
as in excitement
something that arouses a strong response from another
a patient man who gets angry only from the greatest of provocations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity
ready to retaliate at the slightest provocation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provocation
China is often accused by U.S. allies of provocations in the South China Sea—where China's sovereignty claims overlap with those of several neighbors.
—
Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
Without the requisite thought and care, though, those themes land as empty provocation, or — as is the case here — a cheap narrative shortcut.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2025
Christians face constant provocation, and there is a widespread sense of insecurity.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
And there is one more tool always available to Trump’s critics on the continent: provocation.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
Without the requisite thought and care, though, those themes land as empty provocation, or — as is the case here — a cheap narrative shortcut.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2025
Christians face constant provocation, and there is a widespread sense of insecurity.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
And there is one more tool always available to Trump’s critics on the continent: provocation.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocation
Noun
-
Just seeing the excitement of Chicago for both of us, honestly, was really cool at that time.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Even amid the post-match excitement, Bompastor has a calm demeanour most of the time.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Additionally, there was the buyout and retirement incentives of another 3,000 employees.—
Mike Dombeck,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Therefore, there should be incentive for everyone to work collectively to get rid of STDs and give any efforts to do so more than a slow clap, so to speak.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Conscious perception is the ability of human beings to become aware of the stimuli received by their senses.—
Jorge Garay,
Wired News,
19 Apr. 2025
-
This micro-moment creates space between stimulus and response, where emotional intelligence flourishes.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Yet it must be acknowledged that the impetus for the freezing of federal dollars for certain universities was a crisis for Jewish students, caused by the failure of college administrators to counter antisemitism and the harassment of Jews on campus.—
Christian Schneider,
National Review,
17 Apr. 2025
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Likewise, the impetus may be the same for McDonald’s customers.—
BYAlex Ledsom,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Katherine, an avid reader who loves James Joyce and modern poetry, tries her hand at screenwriting, with Fred’s encouragement.—
Mark Athitakis,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
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Not only this, his friends also came to his defense, offering words of encouragement.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In the gripping Prime Video action-thriller G20, family becomes both motivation and lifeline amid political mayhem.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
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However, right now, renters aren’t experiencing that kind of motivation.—
Daryl Fairweather,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocation. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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