- present tense form of provoke (3rd person singular).
provokes
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.
Truly creative and inspiring art undermines that goal, because it provokes responses like empathy and critical thinking in audiences — which gets in the way of authoritarian domination.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
But if West provokes a contest now, that rules Burnham out.
From BBC ● May 9, 2026
Ms. Enyedi implicitly provokes such consideration through shots that often put flora in the foreground, with humans reduced to background extras.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
The romantic element of Sondheim’s score is best captured in the gorgeous singing of Chris Hunter’s Anthony Hope, whose crooning of “Johanna” provokes an epidemic of goosebumps throughout La Mirada Theatre.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2026
I’ll see whether that provokes something—an unnatural response, any kind of reaction.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
