provoke

/prəˈvoʊk/

Say it: pruh-VOKE

1. verb To deliberately make someone annoyed or angry.
He kept making sarcastic comments, trying to provoke his brother into a fight.
2. verb To cause a particular reaction or feeling, especially an undesirable one.
The controversial new law provoked widespread protests across the country.
3. verb To stimulate or give rise to a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one, in someone.
The art installation was designed to provoke thought about environmental issues.

📖 Seen in the wild

His rude comments were intended to provoke an argument.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ provoke in a sentence

The prime minister's remarks provoked an immediate and furious response from the opposition party.
Are you just saying that to provoke me?
His strange behavior provoked the curiosity of his neighbors.
The report's findings are sure to provoke a great deal of debate.
A sudden noise in the dark can provoke a feeling of fear.
The goal is to ask questions that provoke new ways of thinking about the problem.
Her silence was calculated to provoke him into speaking first.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

incite enrage annoy aggravate instigate arouse elicit trigger

incite · suggests urging on to violent or unlawful action.

enrage · much stronger; means to fill someone with intense anger.

annoy · milder and more about irritation than anger.

aggravate · similar to annoy but often used more informally.

Opposites: soothe, pacify, calm, placate, assuage

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'provoke' comes to us from the Latin 'provocare', which literally means 'to call forth'. It's a combination of 'pro-', meaning 'forth', and 'vocare', meaning 'to call'. This origin is still visible today, as provoking someone or something is essentially 'calling forth' a reaction, whether it's anger, a debate, or a memory.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

provoke a reactionprovoke an argumentprovoke outrageprovoke discussiondeliberately provoke

The most common use of 'provoke' implies a deliberate, negative action to get a rise out of someone. However, its second meaning, 'to cause a reaction,' is more neutral and is common in formal and academic contexts, like 'provoking a debate' or 'provoking a scientific inquiry'. Be mindful of the context; accusing someone of 'provoking' you is a strong charge that implies intent.

Word family: provocation, provocative, provocatively

💬 Quick answers

What does it mean to provoke someone?

It usually means to intentionally do or say something to make them angry or annoyed. It can also mean to cause any kind of reaction, such as provoking a debate or a thought.

What is the difference between 'provoke' and 'incite'?

To provoke is to stir up a reaction, often anger. To incite is more specific and stronger, usually meaning to urge someone toward violent, unlawful, or dangerous action.

Is 'provoke' a negative word?

It often has a negative connotation, as it implies deliberately causing anger or a bad reaction. However, it can be neutral when used to mean 'give rise to,' such as provoking a discussion.

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