provocative

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There’s a difference between making something provocative and outright, intentional provocation.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

In 1963 Mitford published “The American Way of Death,” an exposé of the funeral industry that turned her into a stateside celebrity, welcomed as a provocative guest on talk shows and recognized by cab drivers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Heavily metaphoric and less intimately provocative than the French writer-director’s previous movies, “Alpha” is a domestic drama that may not necessarily be set at the end of the world.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The creator, who uses the online handle RadialB, says he didn't expect to spawn copycats or be politically provocative.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

In 1976 Edward N. Luttwak, now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in Washington, D.C., published a short, provocative book about imperial Rome that distinguished between territorial and hegemonic empires.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann