provoke
verb /prəˈvəʊk/
/prəˈvəʊk/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they provoke | /prəˈvəʊk/ /prəˈvəʊk/ |
| he / she / it provokes | /prəˈvəʊks/ /prəˈvəʊks/ |
| past simple provoked | /prəˈvəʊkt/ /prəˈvəʊkt/ |
| past participle provoked | /prəˈvəʊkt/ /prəˈvəʊkt/ |
| -ing form provoking | /prəˈvəʊkɪŋ/ /prəˈvəʊkɪŋ/ |
- provoke something to cause a particular reaction or have a particular effect
- The announcement provoked a storm of protest.
- The article was intended to provoke discussion.
- Dairy products may provoke allergic reactions in some people.
Extra ExamplesTopics Change, cause and effectc1- The suggestion inevitably provoked outrage from student leaders.
- Such a decision may provoke a backlash from their supporters.
- The company was provoked into issuing a denial.
- The decision to close the factory has provoked fury.
- The minister does not wish to provoke further demonstrations.
- What had she done to provoke his wrath?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- deliberately
- inevitably
- immediately
- …
- try to
- be likely to
- be designed to
- …
- into
- to
- easily provoked
- to say or do something that you know will annoy somebody so that they react in an angry way synonym goad
- provoke somebody Be careful what you say—he's easily provoked.
- provoke somebody into (doing) something The lawyer claimed his client was provoked into acts of violence by the defendant.
- provoke somebody to do something An attack on their city will only provoke them to retaliate.
Extra ExamplesTopics Opinion and argumentc1, Feelingsc1- The prison guards deliberately provoke the political prisoners.
- She had been trying to provoke her sister into an argument.
- Their laughter provoked him to anger.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- deliberately
- inevitably
- immediately
- …
- try to
- be likely to
- be designed to
- …
- into
- to
- easily provoked
Word Originlate Middle English (also in the sense ‘invoke, summon’): from Old French provoquer, from Latin provocare ‘challenge’, from pro- ‘forth’ + vocare ‘to call’.