provocatively

American  

[pruh-vahk-uh-tiv-lee] / prəˈvɑk ə tɪv li /

adverb

1. in a way or to a degree that tends to provoke; in a stimulating, titillating, or irritating way.

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Example Sentences

Dr. Flaherty provocatively suggests that Van Gogh suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy and that his condition may have played an important role in his achievements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

A US negotiator even provocatively put an empty chair with a Chinese flag.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

“Have y’all not learned?” an agent provocatively asks a legal observer in a video that’s been circulating among volunteers, two days after Good was killed.

From Slate • Jan. 23, 2026

Greene has pushed for aggressive disclosure of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and amplified America-First messaging, positioning herself as both independent and provocatively vocal.

From Salon • Nov. 15, 2025

I’d been minding my own business at home, hadn’t dressed up, had not acted provocatively, had not flirted, had not, I was sure, smiled when he waved for me to look.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago