1
as in encourages
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in raises
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
rankings that are sure to provoke an argument among film buffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provokes
But the question of what is true or not is futile, even if Calle deliberately provokes this curiosity.
—
Elisa Wouk Almino
editor, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
The visual effect provokes strikes, but the vibrations also stimulate the receptors in a bass's lateral line.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026
At work, Paige (Elle Chapman) punches a coworker who provokes her with truly unkind remarks about her father's death.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2026
The aroma of coffee brewing reliably provokes desire.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Deadline can reveal the first trailer for the radical love story revolving around Suzanne and undocumented migrant Osmane, whose relationship provokes a wave of anger and indignation all around them, forcing them to resist.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Fogel is always looking for the visual angle that provokes an emotional response.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
This ends up being just one of Aemond’s defining moments, which further provokes war.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Elisa Wouk Almino
editor, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
The visual effect provokes strikes, but the vibrations also stimulate the receptors in a bass's lateral line.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026
At work, Paige (Elle Chapman) punches a coworker who provokes her with truly unkind remarks about her father's death.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2026
The aroma of coffee brewing reliably provokes desire.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Deadline can reveal the first trailer for the radical love story revolving around Suzanne and undocumented migrant Osmane, whose relationship provokes a wave of anger and indignation all around them, forcing them to resist.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Fogel is always looking for the visual angle that provokes an emotional response.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
This ends up being just one of Aemond’s defining moments, which further provokes war.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provokes
Verb
-
The council also encourages Gary leadership to participate in any IURC proceedings and asks for the Indiana General Assembly to biannually review utility delivery charge actions and pursue reforms.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Channeling Abbie Hoffman, Tolentino encourages people to steal from her own employer, The New Yorker, but does not explain which high crimes David Remnick has committed to earn this comeuppance.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The comments around cyber risks come as emergence of Anthropic's Mythos is setting up a scramble from the banking industry to gain access and test the technology, as regulators rush to examine the cybersecurity risks the new AI model raises.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Critics say that practice raises prices for buyers and hurts the state’s homeownership rate.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Moisture Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil, and the combination of heat and moisture is what stimulates seeds to sprout.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Fortunately, certain types of mushrooms are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light during or after harvesting, which stimulates vitamin D production in the mushrooms.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
School gardening also promotes an increase in vegetable consumption.—
Shelley Mitchell,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Heat Dairy and non-dairy yogurts are made through a fermentation process that promotes the growth of certain beneficial bacterial strains.—
Heidi Moawad,
Verywell Health,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the rise of artificial intelligence stirs anxiety over the technology taking people's jobs, AI is also opening pathways to new careers, according to LinkedIn.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
If travel, coursework, or a belief debate stirs friction, skip arguing about theory in favor of grounding the talk with real-life examples.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This plateau triggers all the synapses with the eligibility trace to strengthen.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Coal exporters like Indonesia are also ramping up their stockpiles as the Middle East conflict triggers a price surge.—
Julius Cesar Trajano,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But what inspires me is the idea of putting something beautiful into the world.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
So my hope is that at least a single candidate ups their game and comes to voters with not just attacks, but something that inspires, something that sets them apart.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Uranus moving into Gemini incites restlessness with conventional routine.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The phrase either inspires excitement or incites fear among adults who are lucky enough to still have their parents and siblings around and still want to hang out with them.—
Sarah James,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provokes. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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