provoke

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.

But before the U.S. launched its airstrikes, the Gulf governments had been resisting the prospect of a U.S. attack, fearing that it could provoke a regional conflict that would envelop them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Many investors are worried that the ongoing conflict with Iran might provoke more volatility in financial markets.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

I’m not sure what would provoke anyone to tune in, but like clockwork, the viewership billowed to the thousands.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

RadialB acknowledges the videos provoke political reactions: "I could put stuff up and there would be like 50-year-olds and 60-year-olds in the comments raging and saying all this political stuff."

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

That was the period when divine good humor and the hidden forces of human nature acted with impunity to provoke a state of emergency and upheaval in the laws of physics and logic.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende