provoking

1 of 2

adjective

pro·​vok·​ing prə-ˈvō-kiŋ How to pronounce provoking (audio)
Synonyms of provokingnext
: causing mild anger : annoying
provokingly adverb

provoking

2 of 2

present participle of provoke

Synonyms of provoking

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of provoking in a Sentence

Adjective the host's provoking opinions are the reason why people tune in to his radio talk show in the first place
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Read Cep’s Profile of Kingsolver » Our editors and critics choose the most captivating, notable, brilliant, surprising, absorbing, weird, thought-provoking, and talked-about books. — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026 The proper pose is a strict neutrality — neither agreeing nor provoking — simply seeking the first opportunity to disengage. — Judith Martin, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026 Chiarella has come up with an ingenious premise that is as twisted as it is thought-provoking. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026 Always thought-provoking but never controversial, few were better at delivering a joke. — Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for provoking

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of provoking was in 1642

Phrases Containing provoking

Rhymes for provoking

See All Rhymes for provoking

Browse Nearby Words

provoke
provoking
provola
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Provoking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provoking. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

provoking

adjective
pro·​vok·​ing
prə-ˈvō-kiŋ
: causing mild anger : annoying
a provoking delay
provokingly
-kiŋ-lē
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inscrutable

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All