provoke
Provoke (verb) means to deliberately anger or irritate someone. Example: “Don't provoke the dog by pulling its tail.”
How to Use Provoke
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo deliberately trigger anger, or more generally to cause any strong reaction.
Word Forms
provoked past tense, provokes singular
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Don't _____ the dog by pulling its tail.
Etymology
From Old French provoquer, from Latin provocare, "to call forth" — from pro- ("forth") plus vocare ("to call").
Related Words
Rhymes for provoke
See all rhymes for provoke →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “provoke” mean?
The word “provoke” means to deliberately anger or irritate someone. In plain terms, to deliberately trigger anger, or more generally to cause any strong reaction.
How do you pronounce “provoke”?
“Provoke” is pronounced pruh-VOHK (/pɹəˈvoʊk/ in IPA).
How do you use “provoke” in a sentence?
Here is “provoke” used in a sentence: “Don't provoke the dog by pulling its tail.”
What part of speech is “provoke”?
“Provoke” is a verb.
Where does the word “provoke” come from?
The word “provoke” comes from Latin. From Old French provoquer, from Latin provocare, "to call forth" — from pro- ("forth") plus vocare ("to call").
Is “provoke” a common word?
“Provoke” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “provoke” have?
“Provoke” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to deliberately anger or irritate someone.