provocative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Donald Trump is no stranger to provocative language.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
Police said most people behaved peacefully but they saw "provocative conduct and the heavy use of pyrotechnics and fireworks - despite various warnings being issued against this".
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Daniel Rood gives short shrift to such “historically amnesiac tourism”; with “In the Shadow of the Great House,” he provides a provocative history of the plantation, one that spans continents and centuries.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
There’s a difference between making something provocative and outright, intentional provocation.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
The introductory lecture was given by Clifford Nass, the provocative Stanford University sociologist who two years earlier had gotten Dr. Strayer and Dr. Gazzaley together to think about the science of multitasking.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Vocabulary lists containing provocative
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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100 Top "SAT" Words
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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