provoke
19 synonyms and 5 antonyms for provoke, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To deliberately anger or irritate someone.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use provoke
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
provoke a reaction
provoke anger
provoke criticism
Etymology
From Old French provoquer, from Latin provocare, "to call forth" — from pro- ("forth") plus vocare ("to call").
Full origin of 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.
