unprovoked

adjective

un·​pro·​voked ˌən-prə-ˈvōkt How to pronounce unprovoked (audio)
: occurring without any identifiable cause or justification : not provoked
an unprovoked assault/attack
unprovoked anger

Examples of unprovoked in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just last week, 65-year-old Lydia Zuniga’s leg was broken in three places after a mentally ill stranger shoved her onto the tracks at a Bronx subway station in an unprovoked attack. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 Two people were arrested in connection with an allegedly unprovoked assault and theft at a San Bernardino apartment complex hot tub last week, according to police. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 The United Arab Emirates in a statement called on Iran to stop the unprovoked strikes. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 During the late-July All-Star break, Carrington took to Threads to launch a spontaneous, unprovoked attack on her ex-girlfriend, Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unprovoked

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unprovoked was in 1534

Rhymes for unprovoked

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Unprovoked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprovoked. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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