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
In her debut memoir, No Fault: A Memoir of Romance and Divorce, Haley Mlotek shows how this central incompatibility yields a useful provocation: There are hazards in relying on stories as the prevailing metaphor for one’s romantic experiences, and even one’s life in total.
—
Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2025
Beyond the political and economic provocations, European leaders are struggling to make sense of the Trump administration’s strategy for Ukraine.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Nestor is a man trying to maintain his dignity while at the mercy of everyone around him, his frustrations rising to the surface at the slightest provocation from his back-talking kids or his younger brother (Valentin Mexico), a hotshot with a Trans Am.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
The 51st state That said, the provocation about merging Canada into the union lingers.
—Talib Visram, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
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Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2025
Beyond the political and economic provocations, European leaders are struggling to make sense of the Trump administration’s strategy for Ukraine.
—Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Nestor is a man trying to maintain his dignity while at the mercy of everyone around him, his frustrations rising to the surface at the slightest provocation from his back-talking kids or his younger brother (Valentin Mexico), a hotshot with a Trans Am.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
The 51st state That said, the provocation about merging Canada into the union lingers.
—Talib Visram, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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
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