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Definition of provoke

provoke

/prəˈvoʊk/
pro · voke
Adverb:provocatively
•
Adjective:provocative
•
Past Simple:provoked
•
Past Participle:provoked
•
Present Participle:provoking
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provoke Lexical Profile

provoke Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To deliberately make someone annoyed, angry, or hostile, often in order to make them react.

Example

"The opposing player tried to provoke him into committing a foul during the match."

2

To stimulate or give rise to a strong reaction, emotion, or debate in someone.

Example

"The documentary is intended to provoke a serious discussion about urban housing policies."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for provoke
Antonyms
View all antonyms for provoke

• Rhymes for provoke

• Nearby Words

provocatively
provocativeness
provokable
provoke
provokingly
provolone
prow

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English from Old French provoquer, from Latin provocare ('to call forth, challenge'), composed of pro- ('forth') and vocare ('to call').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Provoke. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/provoke
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