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.

After the game, Benfica boss Jose Mourinho effectively blamed the player himself for provoking the situation.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

The study, "Creative problem-solving after experimentally provoking dreams of unsolved puzzles during REM sleep" was published in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness on Feb. 5.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026

Her style is confrontational and seemingly fearless, often provoking hugely divergent reactions from critics and fans.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Maye’s been so persuasive it’s provoking inevitable but treacherous comparisons to Brady, his carbohydrate-shunning forebear, now immortalized in 12 feet of handsome bronze outside the Foxborough gate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

They invented sins that would satisfy teachers without provoking draconian punishment.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden