as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a calculating provocateur, she has made a career out of controversy for its own sake
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Recent Examples of provocateur
One older man violently accosts Noam over her views, calling her a provocateur.
—
Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
Whether this signals a future collaboration between Poppy and Carpenter remains to be seen, but for now, the metal provocateur has put her own mark on one of the year’s biggest pop hits.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 7 Feb. 2025
Just last August, Kanye West’s former chief of staff and right-wing provocateur, Milo Yiannopoulos, alleged that West’s nitrous oxide addiction was costing the rapper more than $50,000 a month.
—Ben Dandridge-Lemco, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2024
Leave it to Virat Kohli, India's talismanic batter who doubles as a renowned provocateur, to try to light a fire under his beleaguered team.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
Whether this signals a future collaboration between Poppy and Carpenter remains to be seen, but for now, the metal provocateur has put her own mark on one of the year’s biggest pop hits.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 7 Feb. 2025
Just last August, Kanye West’s former chief of staff and right-wing provocateur, Milo Yiannopoulos, alleged that West’s nitrous oxide addiction was costing the rapper more than $50,000 a month.
—Ben Dandridge-Lemco, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2024
Leave it to Virat Kohli, India's talismanic batter who doubles as a renowned provocateur, to try to light a fire under his beleaguered team.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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On the battlefield, the nobles’ cavalry and superior artillery brutally cut down the rebels.—
Michael Bruening,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025
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The rebels on Friday also claimed to have seized a second airport in the region, in the town of Kavumu outside Bukavu.—
JUSTIN KABUMBA,
arkansasonline.com,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Like other concert promoters and talent buyers, Slusher does a lot of research before booking a band or solo artist.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2025
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Jamaican promoters Sunnation have perfected the art of the high-end breakfast party in both Trinidad and Jamaica, with their Jamaica fete ensconced as the place to see-and-be-seen at Jamaica Carnival each April.—
Baz Dreisinger,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Following the Barnard students’ expulsion, more than 50 anti-Israel agitators took over a building on Barnard’s campus, echoing last year’s takeover of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University.—
Rachel Wolf,
Fox News,
4 Mar. 2025
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These washers use a gentle tumbling action instead of the harsher action of a center agitator in a top-loading washer.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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There’s much misinformation about who actually pays tariffs Trump is a proponent of tariffs, insisting that they are paid for by foreign countries.—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
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Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, is also a staunch free speech proponent.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In the 6th District, Trump is backing state Sen. Randy Fine, a conservative firebrand known for his support of Israel and his efforts to restrict LGBTQ+ rights.—
Kate Payne,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Jan. 2025
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Despite his resignation from Congress, the House Ethics Committee released a report on the panel’s roughly three-and-a-half-year investigation into the firebrand Florida Republican.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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On Wednesday, Lyle Menendez reacted to the news to his supporters and family in a Facebook post.—
Kevin Dolak,
The Hollywood Reporter,
4 Mar. 2025
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The unprecedented Oval Office meeting has since drawn widespread attention, with some Trump supporters praising him, others expressing concern, and many international leaders and Democrats criticizing the president and voicing support for Zelensky.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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That’s classically how a demagogue works and how a demagogue becomes a tyrant.—
Sean Illing,
Vox,
22 Feb. 2025
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Many Latines who are conservative in the U.S. come from countries where similar right-wing demagogues were elected in the last decade.—
Nicole Froio,
refinery29.com,
6 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In recent years, the PKK has been limited to isolated attacks inside Turkey as the Turkish military, backed by armed drones, has pushed PKK insurgents increasingly across the mountainous border into Iraq.—
Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports,
arkansasonline.com,
2 Mar. 2025
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Elected by surprise in 2018, Ocasio-Cortez was a progressive insurgent, a democratic socialist, a frequent critic of her own party, and a social media sensation.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
28 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to provocateur
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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