Word
provoke
Phoneticspro·voke, stress on the second syllable
US/pɹəˈvoʊk/
UK/pɹəvˈəʊk/
Definitions
01to cause a reaction
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to cause a particular reaction or feeling to happen.
v. to elicit or give rise to a specific reaction, emotion, or physical response. Transitive — always takes a direct object.
“The government's new tax plan provoked a lot of protests in the city.”
“The senator's controversial remarks were clearly intended to provoke a debate on national security before the upcoming election.”
02to make someone angry
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to do or say something that makes someone angry or annoyed.
v. to deliberately incite anger, resentment, or irritation in a person or animal through speech or action.
“Be careful with that dog; if you provoke it, it might bite.”
“The lawyer attempted to provoke the witness into losing his temper, hoping to undermine his credibility in front of the jury.”
03to appeal
C2 · Proficiency Law Archaic
v. to call upon someone or to make a formal request.
v. to appeal to a higher authority or to summon. This usage is no longer found in modern speech or writing.
“In the old story, the knight had to provoke the king's mercy.”
“The defendant sought to provoke the judgement of the high court, a phrasing that has since vanished from modern legal proceedings.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “provoke” in context.
Verb
01. deliberately provoke a reaction
“The politician's controversial comments were designed to deliberately provoke a reaction from the opposition.”
adv + verb + noun
02. provoke an outcry
“The government's decision to cut funding for the arts provoked a massive public outcry.”
verb + noun
03. provoke someone into an argument
“He was clearly trying to provoke his brother into a heated argument during dinner.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Noun
04. provoke a sense of unease
“The eerie silence in the abandoned hospital provoked a profound sense of unease among the explorers.”
verb + noun + of + noun
05. provoke thought
“The documentary was highly praised for its ability to provoke thought regarding climate change.”
verb + noun
Adverb
06. easily provoked
“When he is tired and stressed, he is very easily provoked by minor inconveniences.”
adv + verb
07. unintentionally provoke a conflict
“A simple misunderstanding in the email unintentionally provoked a conflict between the two departments.”
adv + verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“Although she says she "wasn't there for social media" and didn't touch or provoke the shark, she admits she was too close to the animals.” “C P Snow’s ‘Two Cultures’ lecture provoked a savage response from fellow critic F R Leavis.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French provoquer, from Old French, from Latin prōvocāre. Doublet of provocate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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