provokeverb [ T ]
uk/prəˈvəʊk/us/prəˈvoʊk/provoke verb [ T ] (CAUSE REACTION)
C2 to cause a reaction, especially a negative one:
The prospect of increased prices has already provoked an outcry.
Test results provoked worries that the reactor could overheat.
More examples
- Her manifest lack of interest in the project has provoked severe criticism.
- The release from prison of two of the terrorists has provoked a public outcry.
- These murders have provoked outrage across the country.
- We have no intention of launching a pre-emptive strike, but we will retaliate if provoked.
- The prime minister's speech provoked an angry response from the shadow cabinet.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing things to happen
- -ization
- -ize
- actuate
- actuation
- agent
- awaken (sth) in sb
- be associated with sth
- beget
- draw
- fuel
- instigate
- instigator
- introduce
- lie
- plant
- produce
- rise
- usher sth in
- wreak
- wrought
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provoke verb [ T ] (MAKE ANGRY)
C2 to make or try to make a person or an animal angry:
It was a vicious-looking dog and I didn't want to provoke it.
He was clearly trying to get at me but I refused to be provoked.
I was provoked into the argument.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing feelings of anger and displeasure
- aggravate
- aggrieve
- alienate
- anger
- annoy
- burn
- give sb the shits idiom
- go too far idiom
- goat
- grate
- hack
- hack sb off
- nose
- ruffle sb's feathers idiom
- set sb's teeth on edge idiom
- step/tread on sb's toes idiom
- stick in sb's craw idiom
- stick in sb's throat idiom
- tee
- toe
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