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View synonyms for

provoke

[ pruh-vohk ]

verb (used with object)

provoked, provoking.
  1. to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

  2. to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity):

    The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.

    Synonyms: ,

  3. to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
  4. to give rise to, induce, or bring about:

    could have provoked such an incident?

  5. Obsolete. to summon.


provoke

/ əˈəʊ /

verb

  1. to anger or infuriate
  2. to cause to act or behave in a certain manner; incite or stimulate
  3. to promote (certain feelings, esp anger, indignation, etc) in a person
  4. obsolete.
    to summon
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈǰ쾱Բ, adverb
  • ˈǰ쾱Բ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • ·ǰ· noun
  • ··ǰ verb (used with object) misprovoked misprovoking
  • ···ǰ verb overprovoked overprovoking
  • ··ǰ verb (used with object) preprovoked preprovoking
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Word History and Origins

Origin of provoke1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin ōdz “to call forth, challenge, provoke,” equivalent to ō- pro- 1 + dz “to call”; akin to ō voice
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Word History and Origins

Origin of provoke1

C15: from Latin ōdz to call forth, from dz to call
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Synonym Study

See irritate. See incite.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Bashe argued the ban was not meant to provoke a trade war but to protect Tanzania's interests.

From

The warehouse-dotted landscape in Northamptonshire has provoked anger from some communities.

From

Throughout history, the rise of great powers has provoked backlash and balancing coalitions, but for the United States, quite remarkably, it hasn’t.

From

He appealed for an end to the "absurd and cruel war" in Ukraine, although he disappointed Ukrainians by appearing to swallow Russia's propaganda message of having been provoked into its invasion.

From

Maezawa abruptly cancelled the mission, leaving the crew to pick up the pieces of their disrupted lives - the experience informed Adam's thought provoking project.

From

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