provoke

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.

Every kennel here is full when we visit and many of them are covered by screens, because some of the dogs are so volatile our presence could provoke them.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

His tactic is to provoke negotiating partners into losing their cool.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

A top Iranian official is warning that attacks on the Persian Gulf islands that form Iran’s southern maritime frontier would provoke a new level of retaliation.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

But know that whatever you say or do, however benign, can be weaponized to provoke a reaction, and as much as we try, everyone has their breaking point.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

He had gotten good at predicting what people would do, how they would react, and when he couldn’t predict their behavior, he knew how to provoke it instead.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway