provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən 
1
: the act of provoking : incitement
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
Examples of provocation in a Sentence
He can turn violent at the least provocation.
Her calmness in the face of repeated provocations impressed her friends.
With hardly any provocation, the crowd began to chant.
Recent Examples on the Web
The attack occurred without any provocation and the victim had never seen the assailant before, cops said.
—
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2025
That’s impossible to say, in part because business leaders haven’t been out in front of Trump’s tariff policy in any broadly public way, and because no one can be sure why Trump had decided to impose steep tariffs on America’s most important trading partners without provocation.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2025
Some have alleged the CIA partnership with Ukrainian intelligence was a provocation to Putin, giving him a pretext for the war.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2025
In response to escalating tensions, including acts of sabotage and arson attacks allegedly sponsored by Moscow, Poland's foreign minister ordered the closure of one of three Russian consulates in the country last year, signaling a hardening stance against Russian provocations.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for provocation 
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Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2025
That’s impossible to say, in part because business leaders haven’t been out in front of Trump’s tariff policy in any broadly public way, and because no one can be sure why Trump had decided to impose steep tariffs on America’s most important trading partners without provocation.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2025
Some have alleged the CIA partnership with Ukrainian intelligence was a provocation to Putin, giving him a pretext for the war.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2025
In response to escalating tensions, including acts of sabotage and arson attacks allegedly sponsored by Moscow, Poland's foreign minister ordered the closure of one of three Russian consulates in the country last year, signaling a hardening stance against Russian provocations.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for provocation
Dictionary Entries Near provocation
Cite this Entry
“Provocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provocation. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes
Medical Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌpräv-ə-ˈkā-shən
: the act or process of provoking
a nonspecific irritant that brings about provocation of bronchial asthma
Legal Definition
provocation
noun
prov·o·ca·tion
ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən
1
: the act of provoking
2
: something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates
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