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Recent Examples of agent provocateur
There is the buffer, the confidante, the agent provocateur.
—
George Caulkin, New York Times, 7 July 2025
But De Niro’s attempt at playing agent provocateur stumbled badly: His decision to stand outside the New York Trump trial cost the actor his credibility.
—Armond White, National Review, 5 June 2024
Members of the crowd accused Epps of being an agent provocateur, which later helped spur the conspiracy theories about him.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2024
Jester, troubadour, agent provocateur, Serge Gainsbourg rhymed his way through life in a fog of Gitanes smoke, making music of every genre.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2023
The Globoplay Original, produced by the company’s journalism arm, examines the lives of those adjacent to the faction through interviews with the contingents’ defenders, defectors, sociologists and an agent provocateur that develops carefully-orchestrated chaos.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 20 Mar. 2023
Anyone who maligns the sultan is immediately thought to be an agent provocateur working for the sultan, and probably is.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2022
The last dispatch from the alien/agent provocateur known as Greg Tate beamed out from perhaps his most inconspicuous dwelling.
—Tirhakah Love, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2021
At the same time, agents provocateurs played a significant role in the turbulence.
—Adam Hochschild, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2019
George Caulkin, New York Times, 7 July 2025
But De Niro’s attempt at playing agent provocateur stumbled badly: His decision to stand outside the New York Trump trial cost the actor his credibility.
—Armond White, National Review, 5 June 2024
Members of the crowd accused Epps of being an agent provocateur, which later helped spur the conspiracy theories about him.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2024
Jester, troubadour, agent provocateur, Serge Gainsbourg rhymed his way through life in a fog of Gitanes smoke, making music of every genre.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2023
The Globoplay Original, produced by the company’s journalism arm, examines the lives of those adjacent to the faction through interviews with the contingents’ defenders, defectors, sociologists and an agent provocateur that develops carefully-orchestrated chaos.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 20 Mar. 2023
Anyone who maligns the sultan is immediately thought to be an agent provocateur working for the sultan, and probably is.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2022
The last dispatch from the alien/agent provocateur known as Greg Tate beamed out from perhaps his most inconspicuous dwelling.
—Tirhakah Love, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2021
At the same time, agents provocateurs played a significant role in the turbulence.
—Adam Hochschild, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agent provocateur
Noun
-
The attackers were members of the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a sanctioned rebel group with roots in Uganda.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
31 July 2025
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While Kurdish factions remained largely neutral in the civil war between Assad and rebels, alternatively fighting with one side or the other at various times, the Iran- and Russia-backed Syrian ruler's comeback from defeats in the earlier stages of the war paved the way for potential partnerships.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Prosecutors allege that Carvajal played a key role in coordinating large-scale cocaine shipments to the United States, using his official position to protect narcotics operations and facilitate deals with foreign insurgent groups, most notably Colombia’s FARC.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2025
-
Inside is the man who arrived at Balenciaga as a 34-year old insurgent from Vetements in 2015, and is now moving on, aged 44, as one of the undisputed creative director titans of luxury fashion, charged to revive the flagging fortunes of Gucci.—
Sarah Mower,
Vogue,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Clarke didn't recall Tamura ever being a troublemaker in school.—
Jamie Knodel,
NBC news,
29 July 2025
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With that being said, and even if the Court gave its full and unwavering approval, nothing will be good enough for the troublemakers and radical left lunatics making the request.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Actors Juan Quispe and Edith Ramos topline a story that intertwines two periods, that following the 18th century revolutionary Ángel Pumacahua, defeated in battle, who flees to his village and, upon his arrival, finds himself in the Peruvian Andes of the 21st century.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
4 July 2025
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Curtis Everett in Snowpiercer (2014) Released just two years after the first Avengers, Bong Joon Ho's apocalyptic thriller Snowpiercer allowed Evans to show off his grittier side, playing a reluctant revolutionary named Curtis.—
Devan Coggan,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
The booster's upper stage reached a preliminary orbit about nine minutes after leaving the ground.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
26 July 2025
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Contrary to what the boosters of the bill believe, the implications for related digital assets and the economy are very mixed at best.—
Vipin Bharathan,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation A Confusing Road to Confirmation Concerns for Flair's health first arose in June when his son-in-law, wrestling promoter and podcaster Conrad Thompson, stated that Flair had a cancerous spot removed from his skin.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
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However, a new statement from promoters Hardline Media on Friday (July 18) has confirmed the tour will not be going ahead as planned.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
Twelve apostles, 12 days of Christmas, 12 Angry Men — Henry Fonda, great guy, right?—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2025
-
The apostles are alarmed, but Jesus understands his destiny is coming.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Last month state immigration advocates warned that arrests of undocumented immigrants were ramping up in the state, creating anxiety and fear in communities with people taken every day.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
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But while some politicians say these registries are a potential solution to a public health problem, many disability advocates see them as ineffective tools that give people a false sense of security because there is no guarantee of evacuation help.—
Miranda Green,
CBS News,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agent provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agent%20provocateur. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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