Provoke Means to Call Forth
To provoke is to cause a reaction, usually an angry one. The Latin means to call out, which explains why it can be neutral in science.
To provoke is to cause a reaction. In everyday use it means to make someone angry, but the Latin *provocare* simply means to call forth, which is why researchers can talk neutrally about a stimulus provoking a response. The angry sense came from calling someone out to fight.
- To make someone angry. *Do not provoke him.*
- To cause a reaction. *The remark provoked laughter.*
- To bring about. *A policy that provoked debate.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | provoke | Provoke a response. |
| Past | provoked | Provoked into replying. |
| Noun | provocation | Under provocation. |
| Adjective | provocative | A provocative essay. |
| Adverb | provocatively | Dressed provocatively. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The decision provoked an immediate reaction.Causing, not angering.
- He acted under extreme provocation.A legal consideration in some offences.
- It is a deliberately provocative title.Meant to stir debate.
Ways of causing a reaction
- Provoke — call forth a response, often anger
- Incite — urge people towards action, usually unlawful
- Elicit — draw out a response, neutrally
- Trigger — set off, suddenly and often unintentionally
- Goad — provoke persistently until someone reacts
From Latin *provocare*, to call forth or challenge, from *pro* and *vocare*, to call — the same verb as in *vocation*, *advocate* and *revoke*.
Provoke or incite?
Provoking causes a reaction. Inciting urges someone to act, and it is the word used in criminal law for encouraging offences.
Is *provocative* always negative?
No. A provocative book or lecture is one that stirs thought, and the phrase is often a compliment.