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Meaning of provoking
The primary meaning of the word "provoking" is to stimulate or arouse a reaction, especially a strong emotion such as anger or annoyance.
Etymology of provoking
The word "provoking" comes from the Old French word "provocer", which is derived from the Latin word "provocare", meaning "to call forth" or "to challenge"
The Latin word "provocare" is a combination of "pro" (meaning "forth" or "out") and "vocare" (meaning "to call")
The word "provoking" has been used in English since the 15th century to describe something that stimulates or arouses a reaction
Synonyms
irritating
annoying
infuriating
exasperating
vexing
maddening
provoking
riling
inflaming
inciting
stimulating
goading
teasing
taunting
tormenting
harassing
pestering
bothering
troubling
distressing
unsettling
disquieting
perturbing
aggravating
rankling
galling
nettling
irking
getting on someone's nerves
getting under someone's skin
rubbing the wrong way
Definitions
- To stimulate or arouse a reaction, especially a strong emotion such as anger or annoyance
- * To incite or provoke someone into doing something, especially something they would not normally do
- * To provide a stimulus or incentive for something to happen or someone to react
Usage Examples
- The politician's comments were provoking a strong reaction from the crowd
- * The teacher's question was provoking a thoughtful discussion among the students
- * The artist's latest installation was provoking a lot of controversy and debate