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
Relevance
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
What is beauty if not precisely the property that provokes us to abandon all pretense of analytic remove in our desperation to draw closer?
—
Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 7 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
This brings us to sovereignty, and why foreign involvement provokes less outrage than outsiders might expect.
—Helena Carpio, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
The result is a film that provokes thought more than feeling, one that invites discussion, while denying audiences the emotional dimension that might have driven home its relevance.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Storytelling is endlessly contested, and recourse to propaganda provokes resistance and derision.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 7 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
This brings us to sovereignty, and why foreign involvement provokes less outrage than outsiders might expect.
—Helena Carpio, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
The result is a film that provokes thought more than feeling, one that invites discussion, while denying audiences the emotional dimension that might have driven home its relevance.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Storytelling is endlessly contested, and recourse to propaganda provokes resistance and derision.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provokes
Verb
-
The law also prohibits the development of AI that encourages a person to commit suicide, harm themselves, harm another person or engage in criminal activity.—
SEUNG MIN KIM,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Aside from no-single-use plastics in rooms and the touches mentioned previously, 1 Hotels’ universal 1 Less Thing initiative encourages guests to leave an item of clothing behind that will be donated to a local charity.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That raises serious concerns about privacy, dignity, and the well-being of kids who just want to belong and participate like their peers.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The Booker plan also raises taxes on the wealthy as a partial offset for its costs.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ginger stimulates the digestive tract, promoting healthy digestion and facilitating the removal of food and gas from the body.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
13 Mar. 2026
-
During dry years, no wildflowers appear above ground, but the seeds remain dormant until rain stimulates germination.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Soaking causes the corms to swell, potentially doubling their size, which ensures faster sprouting, promotes strong root development, and leads to earlier blooms.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Scientific studies have also shown that proximity to the ocean promotes health, and some research even suggests that coastal living increases longevity.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Where the pre-retroshade plants seeds and the retrograde stirs them up, the post-retroshade is where clarity arrives and choices get made.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Creative courage returns as the instinctive Moon conjoins mischievous Mercury in your 5th House of Play, urging you to express whatever stirs within.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ultraviolet light from its host star triggers the creation of sulfur dioxide in the upper atmosphere, and a massive sub-surface magma ocean acts as a buffer, storing and releasing volatile gases over billions of years.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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Jumping from humid 85-degree tropical air into a cool swimming pool normally triggers a jolt of cold shock.—
Joe Jackson,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Clara Moskowitz,
Scientific American,
17 Mar. 2026
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Her desire to grow and her consistency in all her tasks along the way inspires others to raise the bar.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Renaud hopes that the 37-minute HBO doc incites change.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
28 Feb. 2026
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While the technology behind agents will, no doubt, continue to change and grow, organizations that retain the highest benefits from it are likely to be those that bring people along for the changes technology incites.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
23 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provokes. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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