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
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Recent Examples of provocateur
The violence Saturday erupted during an anti-Islam protest organized by a right-wing provocateur that was dwarfed by a crowd of more than 100 counterprotesters, officials said.
—
Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Ye’s spokesperson, far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, defended his boss outside the courtroom.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
The great Russ Meyer and Radley Metzger are represented with double features, as is European provocateur Jess Franco.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
That’s what lawmakers grappled with Monday when a local conservative provocateur came to testify on an immigration bill wearing brownface and a sombrero and speaking Spanish.
—Idaho Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Ye’s spokesperson, far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, defended his boss outside the courtroom.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
The great Russ Meyer and Radley Metzger are represented with double features, as is European provocateur Jess Franco.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026
That’s what lawmakers grappled with Monday when a local conservative provocateur came to testify on an immigration bill wearing brownface and a sombrero and speaking Spanish.
—Idaho Statesman, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for provocateur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocateur
Noun
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As the decade wore on, though, my parents grew up—as happens to young rebels—and my mother, unexpectedly, started thinking about having kids.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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Their work and mental health were further disrupted when Houthi rebels in Yemen began attacking ships in the Red Sea, with at least nine sailors killed and 11 others held captive for five months.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As live performances became a more important source of revenue for artists and promoters, these factors contributed to a sustained rise in ticket costs, widening the gap between general consumer prices and the cost of attending major concerts.—
byDoug Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
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And so, Mitski’s team left it to concert promoter Goldenvoice to coordinate, getting in touch with Hollywood High School principal Samual Dovlatian.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Columbia students, along with outside agitators, broke into an academic building and temporarily detained the janitors inside.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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But other than Bedard and MacKenzie Weegar getting into it a couple of times, Mangiapane was the only real agitator the Blackhawks had.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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While proponents say changes have made streets safer, critics suspect projects that reduce space for cars will only make traffic congestion worse — even after the construction disruptions end.—
Bruce Finley,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
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But the firm’s been arguably the leading proponent in America for making owners of the rank-in-file.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Many commentators viewed Gaetz as a firebrand who was temperamentally unsuited for that position.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
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Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli firebrand minister of national security who spearheaded the push for the legislation, described the law as long overdue and a sign of strength and national pride.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Both Turkish fans described a warm welcome from Kosovo supporters in the capital city.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Our financial supporters are not involved in any decisions about our journalism.—
Annalisa Merelli,
STAT,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Certainly Arendt, who lived through arguably darker times, did not see them as merely a product of the era’s monstrous demagogues.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Following the outbreak of COVID-19, bias incidents and assaults against Asian Americans soared to alarming heights as demagogues on the streets and in high office inflamed xenophobic fear and animosity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But like many political uprisings, the meaning of No Kings varies from protester to protester.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Mar. 2026
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Moe, a Minnesota native, is a poet and protester.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provocateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocateur. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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