provocative
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
intended to make people think seriously or to make them angry and start an argument.
serving or tending to elicit a strong, often confrontational or intellectual response; deliberately challenging conventional ideas.
Simple“The professor gave a provocative speech that made the students question their own beliefs.”
In context“The author's provocative essay on economic reform sparked a heated debate among policymakers and social critics alike.”
UsageOften used to describe art, journalism, or public statements.
SynonymsAntonymsuninspiringsoothing - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
intended to make someone feel sexual desire.
serving or tending to excite or arouse sexual interest through appearance or behaviour.
Simple“She wore a provocative dress to the party that drew everyone's attention.”
In context“The marketing campaign was criticised for using provocative imagery that had little to do with the actual product being sold.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“The far-right politician has performed such provocative antics several times.”
“After a historic 2018 summit in Singapore with Kim, he called the military drills “ expensive” and “provocative “.”
Borrowed from Middle French provocatif, and its source, Late Latin provocativus, from Latin provocare.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.