January 22, 2026
provoke
/pɹəˈvəʊk/verb
To deliberately make someone angry or upset.
Example sentences
- “Ignore your brother's teasing; he's only trying to provoke you.”
- “The bully kept trying to provoke him into a fight.”
'Provoke a reaction' or 'provoke a response' is neutral; provoking a person means goading them: 'don't provoke him'.