Provocative
adjective
Causing disagreement or anger.
Her provocative remarks started the argument.
Often appears as...
- provocative statement
- provocative actions
adjective
Arousing sexual desire.
She wore a provocative dress to the party.
Often appears as...
- provocative dress
- provocative pose
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Causing thought or discussion about something.
The professor's provocative lecture sparked a lively debate.
Often appears as...
- provocative lecture
- provocative idea
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Causing disagreement or anger.
Her provocative remarks started the argument.
Often appears as...
- provocative statement
- provocative actions
adjective
Arousing sexual desire.
She wore a provocative dress to the party.
Often appears as...
- provocative dress
- provocative pose
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Causing thought or discussion about something.
The professor's provocative lecture sparked a lively debate.
Often appears as...
- provocative lecture
- provocative idea
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Use 'provocative' when an action or remark may cause strong emotional reactions.
His provocative comments on politics got everyone riled up.
Pro Tip 2/3Debate Starter
It often starts disagreements or debates, not just simple discussions.
Her blog post was quite provocative and sparked a heated debate online.
Pro Tip 3/3Handled With Care
Be cautious using 'provocative' as it can easily offend if misunderstood.
Be careful; your provocative views might not be well received in this group.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Use 'provocative' when an action or remark may cause strong emotional reactions.
His provocative comments on politics got everyone riled up.
Pro Tip 2/3Debate Starter
It often starts disagreements or debates, not just simple discussions.
Her blog post was quite provocative and sparked a heated debate online.
Pro Tip 3/3Handled With Care
Be cautious using 'provocative' as it can easily offend if misunderstood.
Be careful; your provocative views might not be well received in this group.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Use 'provocative' when an action or remark may cause strong emotional reactions.
His provocative comments on politics got everyone riled up.
Pro Tip 2/3Debate Starter
It often starts disagreements or debates, not just simple discussions.
Her blog post was quite provocative and sparked a heated debate online.
Pro Tip 3/3Handled With Care
Be cautious using 'provocative' as it can easily offend if misunderstood.
Be careful; your provocative views might not be well received in this group.
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Video examples
Activism needs...
that attracts them rather than puts them off. We're put off by big and brash giant posters and capital letters and explanation marks telling us what to do and vying for our attention. So some of the things I do with people around the world who take part is make small bits of provocative street art
Video examples
Gever Tulley: 5...
to learn how to interact with the world around them. And despite all of our best efforts and intentions, kids are always going to figure out how to do the most dangerous thing they can, in whatever environment they can. So despite the provocative title,
Video examples
TED's secret to great...
And the main tool to achieve that? Curiosity. Stir your audience's curiosity. Use intriguing, provocative questions to identify why something doesn't make sense and needs explaining. If you can reveal a disconnection in someone's worldview,
Video examples
Testing the Mona Lisa PIPE...
motherhood some have even wondered if Mona herself might be pregnant Leonardo's depiction of Mona Lisa's hands may support this provocative theory one scholar a medical doctor sees her hands as swollen or puffy a typical sign of pregnancy
Video examples
Liam Young: Planet City...
Power will be stored here as potential energy rather than resource-intensive lithium batteries. And tides rise and fall as the lights glow and turbines spin. So although wildly provocative, imaginary worlds can be grounded
Video examples
How I came to love my...
the most provocative thing you can wear and in my world the burka is not the most conservative thing the true value of the book and the bikini lies in the fact that woman should get to choose what she
Video examples
Women should represent...
paper apologized but said it never runs photos of women they might be sexually provocative this is an extreme case yes but the fact is women are only 19 percent of the sources and stories on
Video examples
How deepfakes undermine...
Although we believe deepfakes to be true, they're not. And we're attracted to the salacious, the provocative. We tend to believe and to share information that's negative and novel.
Video examples
Megan Kamerick: Women...
Hillary's completely gone. The paper apologized, but said it never runs photos of women; they might be sexually provocative. This is an extreme case, yes. But the fact is,
Video examples
A free world needs...
Look at this image. It seems so innocent, right? Yet it is so provocative. When he posted this image, Hani Abbas knew it would change his life.
Video examples
Activism needs...
that attracts them rather than puts them off. We're put off by big and brash giant posters and capital letters and explanation marks telling us what to do and vying for our attention. So some of the things I do with people around the world who take part is make small bits of provocative street art
Video examples
Gever Tulley: 5...
to learn how to interact with the world around them. And despite all of our best efforts and intentions, kids are always going to figure out how to do the most dangerous thing they can, in whatever environment they can. So despite the provocative title,
Video examples
TED's secret to great...
And the main tool to achieve that? Curiosity. Stir your audience's curiosity. Use intriguing, provocative questions to identify why something doesn't make sense and needs explaining. If you can reveal a disconnection in someone's worldview,
Video examples
Testing the Mona Lisa PIPE...
motherhood some have even wondered if Mona herself might be pregnant Leonardo's depiction of Mona Lisa's hands may support this provocative theory one scholar a medical doctor sees her hands as swollen or puffy a typical sign of pregnancy
Video examples
Liam Young: Planet City...
Power will be stored here as potential energy rather than resource-intensive lithium batteries. And tides rise and fall as the lights glow and turbines spin. So although wildly provocative, imaginary worlds can be grounded
Video examples
How I came to love my...
the most provocative thing you can wear and in my world the burka is not the most conservative thing the true value of the book and the bikini lies in the fact that woman should get to choose what she
Video examples
Women should represent...
paper apologized but said it never runs photos of women they might be sexually provocative this is an extreme case yes but the fact is women are only 19 percent of the sources and stories on
Video examples
How deepfakes undermine...
Although we believe deepfakes to be true, they're not. And we're attracted to the salacious, the provocative. We tend to believe and to share information that's negative and novel.
Video examples
Megan Kamerick: Women...
Hillary's completely gone. The paper apologized, but said it never runs photos of women; they might be sexually provocative. This is an extreme case, yes. But the fact is,
Video examples
A free world needs...
Look at this image. It seems so innocent, right? Yet it is so provocative. When he posted this image, Hani Abbas knew it would change his life.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Terry Richardson
American Photographer
Over the course of my career, I have come to accept that some of my more provocative work courts controversy, and as an artist, I value the discourse that arises from this. I can only hope for this discourse to be informed by fact, so that whether you love my work or hate it, you give it, and me, the benefit of the truth.
Quote examples
Nathaniel Philbrick
American Author
Some of my books sort of have a provocative take. Sometimes you find interesting things about characters that show they weren't necessarily the way people usually see them. It can make for lively conversations, but that's great. Spark a little controversy, get people to think about it. That's what it's all about.
Quote examples
Shirley Manson
Scottish Musician
Pop music seems to be the way radio programming has chosen to support female artists. They have chosen not to support a more provocative voice from women, which I find disappointing.
Quote examples
Stephen Hunter
American Novelist
But you can still find good films if you read your local film critics and are willing to drive a bit. You have to be a proactive film viewer to have the most provocative cinema life.
Quote examples
Sarah Parcak
American Scientist
Imagery is powerful. Imagery is provocative - satellite imagery much more so because it is from space, and it allows us to get this perspective that we don't have to have otherwise.
Quote examples
Niki de St. Phalle
French Sculptor
Father's ideals became part of me and still are today. His reserve, deeply rooted liberal views, his provocative humour, his passion for work and love of risk are also mine.
Quote examples
Hunter Schafer
American Model
In the entertainment world, you can have more of a personality and be yourself. You don't have to look like a standard of beauty. You can have something provocative to say.
Quote examples
Tedros Adhanom
Ethiopian Politician
I believe UNAIDS' provocative leadership has been critical in addressing the AIDS epidemic and converting it from a death sentence to a chronic health condition.
Quote examples
Kathryn Bigelow
American Director
I'm drawn to provocative characters that find themselves in extreme situations. And I think I'm drawn to that consistently.
Quote examples
Yasmine Hamdan
Lebanese Musician
I was raised by strong women, and the role models I had in music and cinema were strong, too - liberated and provocative.
Quote examples
Terry Richardson
American Photographer
Over the course of my career, I have come to accept that some of my more provocative work courts controversy, and as an artist, I value the discourse that arises from this. I can only hope for this discourse to be informed by fact, so that whether you love my work or hate it, you give it, and me, the benefit of the truth.
Quote examples
Nathaniel Philbrick
American Author
Some of my books sort of have a provocative take. Sometimes you find interesting things about characters that show they weren't necessarily the way people usually see them. It can make for lively conversations, but that's great. Spark a little controversy, get people to think about it. That's what it's all about.
Quote examples
Shirley Manson
Scottish Musician
Pop music seems to be the way radio programming has chosen to support female artists. They have chosen not to support a more provocative voice from women, which I find disappointing.
Quote examples
Stephen Hunter
American Novelist
But you can still find good films if you read your local film critics and are willing to drive a bit. You have to be a proactive film viewer to have the most provocative cinema life.
Quote examples
Sarah Parcak
American Scientist
Imagery is powerful. Imagery is provocative - satellite imagery much more so because it is from space, and it allows us to get this perspective that we don't have to have otherwise.
Quote examples
Niki de St. Phalle
French Sculptor
Father's ideals became part of me and still are today. His reserve, deeply rooted liberal views, his provocative humour, his passion for work and love of risk are also mine.
Quote examples
Hunter Schafer
American Model
In the entertainment world, you can have more of a personality and be yourself. You don't have to look like a standard of beauty. You can have something provocative to say.
Quote examples
Tedros Adhanom
Ethiopian Politician
I believe UNAIDS' provocative leadership has been critical in addressing the AIDS epidemic and converting it from a death sentence to a chronic health condition.
Quote examples
Kathryn Bigelow
American Director
I'm drawn to provocative characters that find themselves in extreme situations. And I think I'm drawn to that consistently.
Quote examples
Yasmine Hamdan
Lebanese Musician
I was raised by strong women, and the role models I had in music and cinema were strong, too - liberated and provocative.
Example 1 of 10
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