- present participle of provoke.
provoking
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.
Keitel’s Feraud keeps provoking the feud; Carradine’s D’Hubert recognizes its madness but remains too bound by the same code of honor to walk away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
It said such devices contributed to higher atmospheric pollution of nitrogen oxides that are suspected of "provoking the development of respiratory diseases in humans".
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The pair have a bit of rivalry with Price's on-stage roars and antics often provoking Littler into doing similar, but the teenager denied that Price can get "under his skin".
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
At the same time, the allies were trying to step back from a decades-old dependency on American technology, military power, and trade, without provoking Washington.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
She hassled me about everything, and sometimes I enjoyed provoking her.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
