provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən 
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
But the movie is meant as a provocation.
—
Rachel Handler, Vulture, 14 May 2026
In the end, Beard’s interpretation of the Constitution did not prevail—his evidence was not altogether persuasive—but his provocation helped usher in an era of constitutional renewal in the United States.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
What proved most arresting, however, was not the overt provocation of the work, but its manipulation of duration and attention.
—Andrew S. Jacobson, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2026
This is all, of course, a provocation, a way of merging the sacred and profane, and asking which is which.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocation
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Rachel Handler, Vulture, 14 May 2026
In the end, Beard’s interpretation of the Constitution did not prevail—his evidence was not altogether persuasive—but his provocation helped usher in an era of constitutional renewal in the United States.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
What proved most arresting, however, was not the overt provocation of the work, but its manipulation of duration and attention.
—Andrew S. Jacobson, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2026
This is all, of course, a provocation, a way of merging the sacred and profane, and asking which is which.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes
Medical Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
: 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
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
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