SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
provocation
noun
An action or statement that stimulates anger or a response.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Prompt to anger or action
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topProvocation commonly suggests anger or confrontation. Stimulus and inducement are broader and may involve a friendly or neutral response.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See provocation in use
She declined to react to the repeated provocation.
At a shared studio, Mina expressed indignation when another member displayed her unfinished sketch without asking. A joking remark that artists should enjoy free publicity became a provocation, intensifying her anger rather than addressing the permission issue.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license