1
as in to encourage
to rouse to strong feeling or action
his teasing finally provoked her to anger bees generally will not sting unless they are provoked
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to raise
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
rankings that are sure to provoke an argument among film buffs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provoke
The language on the budget baseline for scoring the cost of a future reconciliation bill provoked divisions within the Senate GOP conference, as well.
—
Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Apr. 2025
And nor is Stanford’s list the only one sure to provoke that reaction.
—Suzanne Nossel, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2025
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House that the administration maintained confidence in Waltz and said the case was effectively closed, even as the breach provoked bipartisan criticism and opened up divisions inside the White House.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
As an abstraction and comparison machine, Pronouns provokes anxiety, getting at the dangers of correlation.
—Mara Mills, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoke
Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Apr. 2025
And nor is Stanford’s list the only one sure to provoke that reaction.
—Suzanne Nossel, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2025
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House that the administration maintained confidence in Waltz and said the case was effectively closed, even as the breach provoked bipartisan criticism and opened up divisions inside the White House.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
As an abstraction and comparison machine, Pronouns provokes anxiety, getting at the dangers of correlation.
—Mara Mills, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provoke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoke
Verb
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The goal of the tax subsidies was to encourage more Americans to save for retirement.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Find out what experts recommend to encourage tulip bulbs to bloom again next year.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, these updates raise questions about the Oscars broadcast itself.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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There’s also a charity component, with the team raising funds for local students involved in fish restoration efforts.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Greece started its golden visa program in 2013 to stabilize housing prices and stimulate growth in a country facing a recession, skyrocketing unemployment, and austerity measures imposed by international lenders.—
Meehika Barua,
HubSpot,
18 Apr. 2025
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The importance of daylight The infrared light found in daylight can modulate inflammation, stimulate collagen production, prevent neurodegeneration, and even optimize mitochondria, which produce energy inside our cells.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Infielder David Villar was promoted from Triple-A Sacramento to take his place.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
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While the lack of ventilation can provide just the opposite effect, keeping the shower curtain closed promotes a more even drying process for the liner.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.—
Nicole Hopper,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2025
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Add the cheddar, ham and chives and stir with a fork to combine.—
Nicole Hvidsten,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But yeah, maybe she’s been a vegetarian this whole time and the proteins triggered something!—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
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Png predicts that a potential global recession resulting from the tariffs would be of a similar scale to the 2008 global financial crisis, which triggered an 18-month Great Recession and the worst global economic downturn since the Great Depression.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For now, any public attempt by Thune to check Trump would likely arouse even greater anger from the Republican base.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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This was music meant to arouse wonder and yearning.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Murder case draws widespread attention The killing of Thompson and the arrest of Mangione have incited both worry among corporate executives and vitriol against the U.S. health care system.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
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In most places, standardized testing has become the master rather than the servant—inciting a frenzy of preparation that displaces actual instruction with stress-laden test prep.—
Mark C. Perna,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoke. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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