provocative
adjective
pro·voc·a·tive
prə-ˈvä-kə-tiv 
: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate
a provocative question
provocative
noun
provocatively
adverb
provocativeness
noun
Examples of provocative in a Sentence
a thoughtful and provocative book
It was one of his more provocative suggestions.
She was wearing a very provocative outfit.
Recent Examples on the Web
Relocating to Shanghai, the provocative brand quickly built a name for boundary-pushing, body-skimming and altering designs.
—
Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Starring Sul Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae and Claudia Kim, the provocative Korean drama follows a wealthy lawyer, who decides to defend a killer, being confronted by his righteous brother over a heated dinner conversation.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 7 Mar. 2025
Sign up for the Race/Related Newsletter Join a deep and provocative exploration of race, identity and society with New York Times journalists.
—Campbell Robertson, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2025
This is provocative cultural terrain—rife with historical and social and psychological (and biological) tensions—and the sort of ground that Adichie has nimbly traversed in her fiction before.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2025
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Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Starring Sul Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae and Claudia Kim, the provocative Korean drama follows a wealthy lawyer, who decides to defend a killer, being confronted by his righteous brother over a heated dinner conversation.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 7 Mar. 2025
Sign up for the Race/Related Newsletter Join a deep and provocative exploration of race, identity and society with New York Times journalists.
—Campbell Robertson, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2025
This is provocative cultural terrain—rife with historical and social and psychological (and biological) tensions—and the sort of ground that Adichie has nimbly traversed in her fiction before.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocative
Articles Related to provocative
Cite this Entry
“Provocative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocative. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
provocative
adjective
pro·voc·a·tive
prə-ˈväk-ət-iv
: serving or tending to provoke
provocative comments
provocatively
adverb
provocativeness
noun
Medical Definition
provocative
adjective
pro·voc·a·tive
prə-ˈväk-ət-iv
: serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate
provocative test for coronary spasm—The Journal of the American Medical Association
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