Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Troubling the nerves or peace of mind, as by repeated vexations.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having the power or quality of exciting resentment; tending to stir up passion; irritating; vexatious: as, provoking words; provoking treatment.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Having the power or quality of exciting resentment; tending to awaken passion or vexation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of provoke.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective causing or tending to cause anger or resentment

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Faux news representatives are real world Pied Pipers of Hamelin provoking and leading frightened and irrational Republican lemmings to financial/medical ruin and self-assisted health care suicide.

    Think Progress » Tea party leaders say they would ‘absolutely’ abolish Social Security. 2010

  • But what I said was much more precise (and worked marvelously in provoking these guys to make fools of themselves, not that this is difficult): as a matter of science, the way an exception proofs a rule is precisely a test: if it is true that objects fall at the same speed whether they are heavy or light, then how can it also be true that a feather falls more slowly?

    Matthew Yglesias » For Democrats, Even a 2010 Win Will Feel Like a Loss 2010

  • Being thought-provoking is its point, and a useful but limited end in itself.

    Matthew Yglesias » A People’s History of the United States 2010

  • They were a major catalyst in provoking the other tribes to resist the Spanish settlement and exploitation of Indian lands.

    The indigenous past of Zacatecas 2008

  • But, though Rhee can turn on the charm when she needs to, she has at times seemed reckless in provoking teachers and even parents.

    The Lightning Rod 2008

  • But, though Rhee can turn on the charm when she needs to, she has at times seemed reckless in provoking teachers and even parents.

    The Lightning Rod 2008

  • They were a major catalyst in provoking the other tribes to resist the Spanish settlement and exploitation of Indian lands.

    The indigenous past of Zacatecas 2008

  • This is immorality in provoking a war. (the takedown of the brutal dictator was an afterthought only dragged up reluctantly to a primary purpose up after the first two reasons were convincingly shown to be false after the invasion).

    Balkinization 2007

  • These actions, which have killed numerous Israeli civilians, terrorized the people of Israel and destroyed many cities, played a central role in provoking the current crisis, and do nothing but harm the cause of Palestinian and Lebanese independence and democracy.

    Israel-Lebanon Conflict 2006

  • Design isn't art, where being vague and thought-provoking is okay.

    Archive 2004-05-01 Jonathan 2004

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