Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Tending to provoke or stimulate.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting; apt to incense or enrage: as, provocative threats.
- n. Anything that tends to excite appetite or passion; a stimulant.
Wiktionary
- n. Anything that is provocative; a stimulant; as, a provocative of appetite.
- adj. Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting.
- n. Anything that is provocative; a stimulant.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. exciting sexual desire
- adj. serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy
Examples
“The United States, South Korea and Japan have expressed reluctance to talk with North Korea at the present time, fearing that would reward Pyongyang for what they call provocative behavior.”
Voice of America: US: North Korea Likely to Be Hiding More Nuclear Sites
“The United States, South Korea and Japan have expressed reluctance to talk with North Korea, concerned that doing so would seen as rewarding Pyongyang for what they call provocative behavior.”
Voice of America: North Korea Condemns US, Japan, South Korea for Forming 'Alliance'
“And, in fact, they have been delivering some tough talk here at the administration, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning North Korea for what she called provocative and belligerent threats.”
“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning North Korea for what she called provocative and belligerent threats.”
“Chen, she said, has taken what she characterized as a provocative and belligerent stance toward mainland China, all for his personal political gain, in hopes that he can be hailed as the savior who stands up to Communist China.”
“Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today said it would be what she called a provocative act.”
“If you look at beach populations, generally, you will find males travel out further from shore and are involved in more of what we refer to as provocative activities than are females.”
“Israeli government to take all possible measures to prevent an escalation of tension following what it termed provocative actions of a small group of Israeli settlers who established an unauthorised settlement in East Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives”
“The special representative in South Africa of the Organisation of African Unity, Legwaila J Legwaila, on Monday rejected what he called the provocative linkage that gave the impression the”
“J Legwaila, on Monday rejected what he called the provocative linkage which created the impression the African body financed acts of terror against innocent civilians in South Africa.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘provocative’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
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Words starting with PRO
I've noticed many, many words start with PRO and this is just a collection of them.
professional, pronunciation, Prolagus, probable, prog, proximity, profit, procrastincate, prom, pronoun, promise, proactive and 206 more...
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ravyn's randy words
Words that are as fun to say as do!
amorous, impassioned, infatuated, enamored, desirous, vehement, ecstasy, frenzy, sentiment, relations, coition, audacious and 16 more...
seanahan In my morning haze, I just read this as "pro-voke-ativ", which I guess would mean the same thing, and actually be more clear. Sep 10, 2007