provoking

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.

Its strategy, which has a narrow margin for error, depends on sustaining pressure without provoking overwhelming retaliation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

For one group of moms, the threatened Los Angeles Unified School District strike that would shutter campuses next week is provoking outright fear.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

After the game, Benfica boss Jose Mourinho effectively blamed the player himself for provoking the situation.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

The study, "Creative problem-solving after experimentally provoking dreams of unsolved puzzles during REM sleep" was published in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness on Feb. 5.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026

He seemed to ignore that settlers were provoking the Indigenous peoples, who were well aware of what the settlers intended.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz