as in rebel
a person who stirs up public feelings especially of discontent
a calculating provocateur, she has made a career out of controversy for its own sake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of provocateur
Kirk gained an online audience for his right-wing provocateur persona.
—
Richard Hall, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Given the peculiar recent musings of provocateurs like Tucker Carlson, the speech was timelier than ever.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
So instead of making these obvious points to union provocateurs such as Davis Gates, our political leaders treat her with kid gloves.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
Hutch is no passive-aggressive provocateur.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Richard Hall, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Given the peculiar recent musings of provocateurs like Tucker Carlson, the speech was timelier than ever.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
So instead of making these obvious points to union provocateurs such as Davis Gates, our political leaders treat her with kid gloves.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
Hutch is no passive-aggressive provocateur.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
-
But in a region being fought over by a patchwork of anti-junta rebel groups, the military and pro-military militia – and given the widespread distrust of the Rohingya – information on where exactly his family are, or what will become of them, has not been forthcoming.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
-
By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
By turning a blind eye to scalpers, even giving them the tools to bypass limits and harvest tickets, Live Nation has acted as the promoter, the primary ticket seller, the artists’ manager, and the scalper.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
19 Sep. 2025
-
For starters, radio promoters and DJs did start playing female artists back to back, and Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah, and Jill Scott went on to found the R&B and hip-hop touring festival Sugar Water, which ran from 2005 to 2006.—
Rachel Brodsky,
Rolling Stone,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But while that may serve Natthaphong’s interests to appear as the chief agitator for reform, losing his military foil could conversely prove problematic.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The following day, Musk made a remote appearance at a London march organized by the far-right agitator known as Tommy Robinson.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
By removing the quarterly standard in favor of a semiannual one, proponents believe investors will get a management team that is more long-term focused.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Even so, proponents of speed reading programs point to data showing that students’ reading speed improves while maintaining comprehension.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That could be a problem in the GOP primary, particularly with residents who are used to Roy’s ability to weave in and out of being a conservative-libertarian firebrand and an intellectual devoted to the movement’s ideas and principles.—
Taylor Millard,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The heavy concentrations of dead and down fuels will complicate containment efforts and provide sources for firebrands and ember cast when adjacent to control lines.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
While his supporters see a pragmatist trying to make the best of a bad decision, his many detractors dismiss him as egotistical and unable to see his failures.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Sep. 2025
-
Gueye made amends on 58 minutes, crashing the ball home in front of Everton’s supporters.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Certain groups who face discrimination and harassment could level the playing field by recording their interactions with others, and at mass protests like the recent events in Nepal, seeing events from a protestor’s point of view could be valuable.—
Cortney Harding,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
On the other side of the barricades outside Roy Thomson Hall, Tarek Haj Ebrahim, another pro-Palestine protester, reiterated that the Canadian documentary was part of Israel’s propaganda campaign.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Our shrinking attention span has left us vulnerable to demagogues and misinformation from every direction.—
Doug McIntyre,
Oc Register,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Because huge shocks to the system tend to empower either a) bold problem solvers or b) populist demagogues.—
Matt K. Lewis,
Twin Cities,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share