as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
the host's provoking opinions are the reason why people tune in to his radio talk show in the first place
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in encouraging
to rouse to strong feeling or action
his teasing finally provoked her to anger bees generally will not sting unless they are provoked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in raising
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
rankings that are sure to provoke an argument among film buffs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of provoking
Jason Bailey, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2023
Newsletter Sign-up Grapevine A weekly look at our most colorful, thought-provoking and original feature stories on the business of life.
—David Mermelstein, WSJ, 31 Mar. 2023
David Axe, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
These thought-provoking questions lie at the heart of an ongoing initiative led by Forbes and the Coalition for Faith & Media.
—Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for provoking 
Adjective
The results are as enlightening, thought-provoking and frequently amusing as the man himself.
—Jason Bailey, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2023
Newsletter Sign-up Grapevine A weekly look at our most colorful, thought-provoking and original feature stories on the business of life.
—David Mermelstein, WSJ, 31 Mar. 2023
Verb
The Russians stripped and executed the nine Ukrainians, provoking a bloody campaign of revenge by Ukrainian paratroopers.
—David Axe, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
These thought-provoking questions lie at the heart of an ongoing initiative led by Forbes and the Coalition for Faith & Media.
—Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for provoking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provoking
Adjective
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In the novel, an astrophysicist, as an act of revenge for her father’s murder by Red Guards, chooses to put Earth at risk by sending out a provocative interstellar message to hostile aliens.H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 5 Nov. 2024
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In a provocative display of military prowess, North Korea declared on Friday that its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test positions the nation at the forefront of global military power.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Cultivate adaptability by encouraging continuous learning, seeking diverse perspectives and fostering a culture of innovation.Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2024
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Developers and hotel operators can join hands to set up local farming collectives, thereby encouraging entrepreneurship, enabling employment opportunities and reducing waste generation along the supply chain.Shrikant Dash, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The company has until March 22, 2025, to consummate a Business Combination, and there is uncertainty about meeting this deadline, raising substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 15 Nov. 2024
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The company anticipates needing additional funding beyond one year from the filing date to continue operations, raising substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The ceremony came at a charged moment, coinciding with Columbia University canceling its graduation ceremony (and largely closing off its campus).David Matthews, New York Daily News, 6 May 2024
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Of course, genocide is a charged and redolent term, recalling the systematic precision of the Holocaust and the society-wide butchery of the Rwandan genocide.Kristina Hook, Foreign Affairs, 28 July 2022
Verb
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The brand’s Gua Sha tool allows its products to penetrate the scalp more effectively, while stimulating blood flow for hair growth.Jenny Berg, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024
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By stimulating specific points along the body’s meridians, acupuncture is believed to help regulate the flow of Qi (life energy).Irina Logman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
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And as the model offers only 224 ft lbs of torque on tap in manual mode, most NSX owners will be stirring the silky manual gearbox and enjoying the 8,000 rpm redline much of the time, rewarded by the scintillating exhaust note.Robert Ross, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2024
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Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.Karen Schroeder-Rankin, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
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In addition to working on Rare Beauty, Gomez has a full plate promoting Emilia Pérez, her new film that debuted at film festivals over the summer and premieres on Netflix on November 13.Sam Reed, Glamour, 4 Oct. 2024
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Coppola snatches unassimilated ideas from current political paranoia and recent cultural catastrophes (manic news media promoting celebrity insanity), all tossed into the mix with demented incoherence.Armond White, National Review, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Riling the whole bar and inciting a riot.Erika Sjule, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2024
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That strategy backfired immediately after one of Khan’s close aides was jailed for inciting army officers to disobey commands from their superiors on a live TV news show in August 2022.Aqil Shah, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near provoking
Cite this Entry
“Provoking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provoking. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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