If you describe a person's action as provocation or a provocation, you mean that it is a reason for someone else to react angrily, violently, or emotionally.
He denies murder on the grounds of provocation.
The soldiers fired without provocation.
The chief of police has condemned this weekend's protest as deliberate provocation.
Synonyms: cause, reason, grounds, motivation More Synonyms of provocation
More Synonyms of provocation
provocation in British English
(ˌprɒvəˈkeɪʃən)
noun
1.
the act of provoking or inciting
2.
something that causes indignation, anger, etc
3. English criminal law
words or conduct that incite a person to attack another
provocation in American English
(ˌprɑvəˈkeɪʃən)
noun
1.
an act or instance of provoking
2.
something that provokes; esp., a cause of resentment or irritation
Word origin
ME provocacion < MFr provocation < L provocatio
Examples of 'provocation' in a sentence
provocation
Yet players these days react aggressively at the slightest provocation.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Officers warned they could attack with the slightest provocation.
The Sun (2013)
He had a fiery temper and would explode at the slightest provocation.
The Sun (2007)
The film maker is famed for being super polite and calm in the face of extreme provocation.
The Sun (2011)
He kept his cool under extreme provocation.
The Sun (2010)
Both were trying to shake up capitalism by extreme provocation.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They were kind to her and apologetic to the rest of us in the face of extreme provocation.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
No country in the world is going to ignore the provocation of rockets being launched from neighbouring territory day after day.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Everyone weeps at the slightest provocation.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And in fact, he has been exemplary under extreme provocation.
The Sun (2011)
These include fear or provocation of violence or intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
The Sun (2013)
In tonight's episode, he meets a wife and mother who flies off the handle at the slightest provocation.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In such a situation, pressure would be intense to launch nuclear weapons at the slightest provocation, lest the enemy be about to do the same.
Mcinnes, Colin & Sheffield G.D (eds.) Warfare in the Twentieth Century (1988)
In other languages
provocation
British English: provocation NOUN
If you describe a person's action as provocation or a provocation, you mean that it is a reason for someone else to react angrily, violently, or emotionally.
He denies murder on the grounds of provocation.
American English: provocation
Brazilian Portuguese: provocação
Chinese: 挑衅
European Spanish: provocación
French: provocation
German: Provokation
Italian: provocazione
Japanese: 挑発
Korean: 도발
European Portuguese: provocação
Latin American Spanish: provocación
1 (noun)
Definition
the act of provoking or inciting
The soldiers fired without provocation.
Synonyms
cause
There is obvious cause for concern.
reason
There is a reason for every important thing that happens.
grounds
motivation
Money is my motivation.
justification
I knew there was no justification for what I was doing.
stimulus
Falling interest rates could be a stimulus to the economy.
inducement
They offer every inducement to encourage investment.
incitement
an incitement to rioting
instigation
casus belli (Latin)
2 (noun)
Definition
something that causes indignation or anger
They kept their tempers in the face of severe provocation.
Synonyms
offence
Your behaviour is an offence to your hosts.
challenge
I like a challenge, and they don't come much bigger than this.
insult
Their behaviour was an insult to the people they represented.
taunt
For years they suffered racist taunts.
injury
She was awarded compensation for the injury to her feelings.
dare
grievance
annoyance
To her annoyance the stranger did not go away.
affront
She has taken my enquiry as a personal affront.
indignity
He suffered the indignity of having to face angry protesters.
red rag
vexation
Additional synonyms
in the sense of affront
Definition
a deliberate insult
She has taken my enquiry as a personal affront.
Synonyms
insult,
wrong,
injury,
abuse,
offence,
slight,
outrage,
provocation,
slur,
indignity,
slap in the face (informal),
vexation
in the sense of annoyance
To her annoyance the stranger did not go away.
Synonyms
irritation,
trouble,
anger,
bother,
grief (informal),
harassment,
disturbance,
hassle (informal),
nuisance,
provocation,
displeasure,
exasperation,
aggravation (informal),
vexation,
pique,
bedevilment
in the sense of challenge
Definition
a call to engage in a contest, fight, or argument
I like a challenge, and they don't come much bigger than this.
Synonyms
dare,
provocation,
summons to contest,
wero (New Zealand)
Synonyms of 'provocation'
provocation
Explore 'provocation' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of incitement
an incitement to rioting
Synonyms
provocation,
prompting,
encouragement,
spur,
motive,
motivation,
impulse,
stimulus,
impetus,
agitation,
inducement,
goad,
instigation,
clarion call
in the sense of indignity
Definition
embarrassing or humiliating treatment
He suffered the indignity of having to face angry protesters.
Synonyms
humiliation,
abuse,
outrage,
injury,
slight,
insult,
snub,
reproach,
affront,
disrespect,
dishonour,
opprobrium,
obloquy,
contumely (literary),
slap in the face (informal)
in the sense of inducement
Definition
something that encourages someone to do something
They offer every inducement to encourage investment.
Synonyms
incentive,
motive,
cause,
influence,
reward,
come-on (informal),
spur,
consideration,
attraction,
lure,
bait,
carrot (informal),
encouragement,
impulse,
stimulus,
incitement,
clarion call
in the sense of injury
Definition
harm done to the feelings
She was awarded compensation for the injury to her feelings.
Synonyms
wrong,
abuse,
offence,
insult,
injustice,
grievance,
affront,
detriment,
disservice
in the sense of insult
Definition
a person or thing producing the effect of an insult
Their behaviour was an insult to the people they represented.
Synonyms
offence,
slight,
outrage,
snub,
slur,
affront,
rudeness,
slap in the face (informal),
kick in the teeth (informal),
insolence,
aspersion
in the sense of justification
I knew there was no justification for what I was doing.
Synonyms
reason,
grounds,
defence,
basis,
excuse,
approval,
plea,
warrant,
apology,
rationale,
vindication,
rationalization,
absolution,
exoneration,
explanation,
exculpation,
extenuation
in the sense of motivation
Money is my motivation.
Synonyms
incentive,
inspiration,
motive,
stimulus,
reason,
spur,
impulse,
persuasion,
inducement,
incitement,
instigation,
carrot and stick
in the sense of reason
Definition
a cause or motive for a belief or action
There is a reason for every important thing that happens.
Synonyms
cause,
grounds,
purpose,
motive,
end,
goal,
design,
target,
aim,
basis,
occasion,
object,
intention,
incentive,
warrant,
impetus,
inducement,
why and wherefore (informal)
in the sense of stimulus
Definition
something that acts as an incentive to (someone)
Falling interest rates could be a stimulus to the economy.