provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən 
1
: the act of provoking : incitement
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
Examples of provocation in a Sentence
He can turn violent at the least provocation.
Her calmness in the face of repeated provocations impressed her friends.
With hardly any provocation, the crowd began to chant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Garza sees the project as a kind of musical provocation.
—
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2025
Byström takes the hyper-girl aesthetic that’s so often criticized and turns it into a tool of political provocation—especially in the context of issues such as sexuality and body politics.
—The Glamour Editors, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2025
Doing so would show U.S. allies and partners in Asia that Taiwan is not the United States’ overriding concern and that further escalation of cross-strait tensions would stem from Chinese aggression, not American provocations.
—Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The president's aides and allies say his provocations should be viewed through the lens of dealmaking.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
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Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2025
Byström takes the hyper-girl aesthetic that’s so often criticized and turns it into a tool of political provocation—especially in the context of issues such as sexuality and body politics.
—The Glamour Editors, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2025
Doing so would show U.S. allies and partners in Asia that Taiwan is not the United States’ overriding concern and that further escalation of cross-strait tensions would stem from Chinese aggression, not American provocations.
—Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The president's aides and allies say his provocations should be viewed through the lens of dealmaking.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provocation
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes
Medical Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
: the act or process of provoking
a nonspecific irritant that brings about provocation of bronchial asthma
Legal Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
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