It would provoke a saint.
Source: tatoeba (42909)
Provoke
/pɹəˈvoʊk/
Synonyms for "provoke" (414 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (83)
Verb(21 words)
arouseevokestimulateaggravatedaggravatesagitatesangeredangeringangersantagoniseantagonizedantagonizesarouse angerarousesarousingbaitedbesetcall forthchevvychevy
Show 1 more word
Noun(15 words)
affraysanger fitanger someoneanger triggerantagonizingbacklashbacklashesbait and lurebaitingbaitsbrawlcatacalacauseschallengeschallenging behavior
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (124)
Verb(22 words)
Adjective(2 words)
civil conflictexasperated
come betweencompelconcerncontrivedaredeependeterioratedevildisaffectdiscomposedispleasedistemperdistressdisturbdisunitedividedogdraw downdraw ondrive
Show 62 more words
drive up the walleffectegg onelectrifyelicitembitterencourageengenderenhanceenlargeenlivenenrageenthuseenvenomestrangeevinceevokeexacerbateexaltexasperateexciteexcite interestexerciseexhilaratefanfan the flamefascinatefashfeed the firefermentfillipfireflurryfomentforcefretfrustratefuelgallgalvanizegenerategetget upgoadgrategrate ongravelgripegritharassharryhatchheatheat uphecklehectorheightenhot uphoundhuffimpassionimpel
Related words (207)
impressincenseinciteincreaseincurinduceinflameinforminfuriateinfuse life intoinspireinstigateinsultintensifyinterestinvigorateinviteinvolveinvolve inirk
Show 117 more words
irritatejazz upkindleleadlight the fuselipmaddenmagnifymakemake acutemake troublemake worsemiffmolestmotivatemovemuster upnagneedlenettlenudzhobtainoccasionoffendoutragepeevepersecuteperturbpesterpickpick onpick uppiquepit againstplaguepluck the beardpokepotherprecipitatepressprimeprocureprodproducepromotepromptpushput output up toquickenraiserallyranklerasprenewresuscitatereviveriderileriseroilrouserubrub the wrong wayrufflesasssauceseparatesetset againstset at oddsset at varianceset onset on edgeset upsharpensic onsoursow dissensionsparkspitespur onstartstimulatestirstir the bloodstir the embersstir upstir up troublesummon upsuperinducetalk backtantalizetauntteasetemptthrilltickletitillatetitivatetormenttouchtransporttroubletry the patiencetweak the noseupseturgevexvitalizewakewakenwhetwhip upwork upworryworsen
Verb(37 words)
inciteincitedincitesincurinduceinduce tearsinductsinflamesinspireinstigate reforminstigatedinstigatesinstigatingkick upkindlemolestpiquedpiquesplaguepolarising
Noun(29 words)
Adjective(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: arouse, evoke, stimulate, aberration, abet.
- Sentence evidence is available for provoke, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "provoke".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "provoke"
Keep "provoke" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "provoke" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "provoke", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "provoke" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
More specific
7 entriesCollocations
6 entriesprovoke a reactionprovoke angerprovoke controversyprovoke criticismprovoke debateprovoke thought
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriessimilar
11 entriesSample sentences
18 total sentences available.
The cat will scratch you if you provoke it.
Source: tatoeba (50061)
A facet of genius is the ability to provoke scandals.
Source: tatoeba (390059)
Only the assumption that the reader - I better say: the prospective reader, because for the moment there is not the slightest prospect, that my writing could see the lights of publicity, - unless it miraculously left our endangered fortress Europe and brought a hint of the secrets of our loneliness to those outside; - I beg to be allowed to begin anew: only because I anticipate the wish to be told casually about the who and what of the writer, I send some few notes on my own individuum out before these openings, - of course not without the awareness that exactly by doing so I might provoke doubts in the reader, that he is in the right hands, which is to say: if I, from all my being, am the right man for a task to which maybe the heart pulls me more than any qualifying relation in character.
Source: tatoeba (767302)
Showing 4 of 18 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "provoke"?
Closest matches include arouse, evoke, stimulate, aberration, abet.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "provoke"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.