provocations

noun

plural of provocation
1
as in excitements
something that arouses a strong response from another a patient man who gets angry only from the greatest of provocations

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in incentives
something that arouses action or activity ready to retaliate at the slightest provocation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of provocations Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded with unusual restraint to Trump’s provocations and has resisted demands to pull away from Washington. — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026 Nobody’s taken the bait regarding White and Freedom’s trollish provocations. — Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2026 The Connecticut rapper’s debut swings from tongue-in-cheek provocations to slam-poetry clunkers, landing a few solid punchlines and pop hooks along the way. — Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026 Keep power, keep money and oil flow, no regime change, a return in effect to JCPOA nuclear conditions, trade with the west - and yet Tehran won’t ceasefire or stop provocations. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 The event didn’t come together, but his provocations got a lot of attention. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 13 July 2026 Nevertheless, the movie’s influence and filmmaking acumen are undeniable, and any serious horror enthusiast needs to grapple with its provocations. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 India, despite having lowered tensions with China, still faces the risk of border provocations—and other major challenges—from Beijing. — Michael Kugelman, Time, 26 June 2026 Latvian intelligence is warning that Russia is preparing possible provocations against the Baltic states or Poland, including drones or any other hybrid attacks, in an effort to pressure NATO countries to stop supporting Ukraine. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provocations
  1. encouragements
  2. incentives
  3. impetuses
  4. motivations
Noun
  • Many folks send encouragements toward OP mom and her son, while others put heat on the other parents for sexualizing their kids’ friendship.
    — DeVonne Goode, Parents, 26 July 2026
  • All through the park, competitors and onlookers hit vapes and shout tips and encouragements into trees.
    — Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of encouragements
Noun
  • Industry stakeholders argued that the measure had the unintended consequence of hamstringing Hollywood’s recovery by limiting the ability of studios to use state incentives for in-state production.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Pritzker even signed a 2019 bill that encouraged the use of tax incentives to help ensure data-center growth.
    — David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of incentives
Noun
  • One of the main impetuses for this is that newer planes are flying further, which means airline routes are getting longer.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 June 2025
Definition of impetuses
Noun
  • Palal acknowledged that Davis’ accounts of the killing evolved over the years but argued those differences reflected Davis’ changing motivations and efforts to protect himself.
    — Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • For example, experts might put a lot of effort into listening to community needs to demonstrate integrity and openness, but miss opportunities to communicate the underlying benevolent motivations driving their work.
    — John C. Besley, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of motivations

Browse Nearby Words

provocation
provocations
provocative
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Cite this Entry

“Provocations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provocations. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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