provoke

prəˈvəʊk

Definition

Conjugation

Definition of provoke - Reverso English Dictionary

Verb

tr.

emotionarouse anger or resentment

Her teasing remarks provoke him to anger..

anger

incense

infuriate

reaction or actioncause someone to react or do something

His words provoke people to react strongly.

elicit

induce

prompt

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with provoke

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.

provoke the bear

do something that might anger a dangerous person

Don't provoke the bear by questioning his authority.

Origin of provoke

Latin, pro (forth) + vocare (to call)

Terms with provoke included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.

joke

humor

amusing story or remark to provoke laughter

irritate

annoyance

provoke impatience or anger in someone

tease

behavior

provoke someone by persistent annoyance

tempt

entice

provoke someone to do something wrong or unwise

anger

provoke irritation

make someone feel annoyed or resentful

invite

encouragement

encourage or provoke a particular action or reaction

needle

teasing

tease or provoke someone persistently

pity

emotion

provoke sympathy or compassion in others

Examples of provoke in a sentence

The unfair decision was meant to provoke outrage among the employees.
The comedian's joke can provoke laughter or outrage.
Repeated insults provoke a defensive response from teammates.

View all translations of provoke

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:provoquer, ...
German:provozieren, hervorrufen, ...
Italian:provocare, scatenare, ...
Spanish:provocar, desencadenar, ...
Portuguese:instigar, incitar, ...
Chinese:激怒, 激起, ...
Japanese:怒らせる, 引き起こす, ...
Arabic:أَثَارَ, دَفَعَ, ...
Hebrew:לְהַרְגִּיז, לְעוֹרֵר, ...
Russian:раздражать, провоцировать, ...
Ukrainian:спровокувати, провокувати, ...
Hindi:क्रोधित करना, उकसाना, ...
Bengali:রাগানো, উসকে দেওয়া, ...
Catalan:provocar, incitar, ...
Czech:vyprovokovat, podnítit, ...
Danish:provokere, fremkalde, ...
Dutch:uitlokken, provoceren, ...
Greek:προκαλώ, ωθώ, ...
Hungarian:felingerelni, kiváltani, ...
Khmer:ធ្វើឲ្យខឹង, បង្កឱ្យមានប្រតិកម្ម, ...
Korean:화나게 하다, 자극하다, ...
Persian:خشمگین کردن, تحریک کردن, ...
Polish:prowokować, wywoływać, ...
Portuguese (BR):instigar, levar, ...
Romanian:a stârni, a provoca, ...
Swedish:reta upp, framkalla, ...
Thai:ยั่วยุ, กระตุ้น, ...
Turkish:kızdırmak, kışkırtmak, ...
Vietnamese:khiêu khích, kích động, ...

Browse the dictionary entries starting with “p”:

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.