provocation

noun

prov·​o·​ca·​tion ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce provocation (audio)
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
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.
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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English provocacioun, from Anglo-French provocacion, from Latin provocation-, provocatio, from provocare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of provocation was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

provocation

noun
prov·​o·​ca·​tion ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce provocation (audio)
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes

Medical Definition

provocation

noun
prov·​o·​ca·​tion ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce provocation (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce provocation (audio)
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates

More from Merriam-Webster on provocation

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