provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən 
1
: the act of provoking : incitement
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
Examples of provocation in a Sentence
He can turn violent at the least provocation.
Her calmness in the face of repeated provocations impressed her friends.
With hardly any provocation, the crowd began to chant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Meanwhile, China has used economic policies to express its frustration with North Korea for its current alignment with Russia and its refusal to consult with China over military provocations, such as weapon tests.
—
Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
There are no spectacles in this show, which is light on provocation and material excess, continuing a trend seen in Venice and at the last Whitney Biennial.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2024
The same cycle has played out again and again: Comic Sans is perceived as a provocation, and social media takes the bait.
—Simon Garfield, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2024
South Korea’s military has said its refusal to answer questions on the drones is because addressing what the North has alleged would be to get drawn into a tactic by Pyongyang to fabricate excuses for provocations.
—Reuters, NBC News, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for provocation 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
There are no spectacles in this show, which is light on provocation and material excess, continuing a trend seen in Venice and at the last Whitney Biennial.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2024
The same cycle has played out again and again: Comic Sans is perceived as a provocation, and social media takes the bait.
—Simon Garfield, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2024
South Korea’s military has said its refusal to answer questions on the drones is because addressing what the North has alleged would be to get drawn into a tactic by Pyongyang to fabricate excuses for provocations.
—Reuters, NBC News, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for provocation
Dictionary Entries Near provocation
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes
Medical Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
: the act or process of provoking
a nonspecific irritant that brings about provocation of bronchial asthma
Legal Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share