provoke
to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.
to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity): The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.
to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
to give rise to, induce, or bring about: What could have provoked such an incident?
Obsolete. to summon.
Origin of provoke
1synonym study For provoke
Other words for provoke
Other words from provoke
- pro·vok·er, noun
- mis·pro·voke, verb (used with object), mis·pro·voked, mis·pro·vok·ing.
- o·ver·pro·voke, verb, o·ver·pro·voked, o·ver·pro·vok·ing.
- pre·pro·voke, verb (used with object), pre·pro·voked, pre·pro·vok·ing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for provoke
/ (prəˈvəʊk) /
to anger or infuriate
to cause to act or behave in a certain manner; incite or stimulate
to promote (certain feelings, esp anger, indignation, etc) in a person
obsolete to summon
Origin of provoke
1Derived forms of provoke
- provoking, adjective
- provokingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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