provoked

American  

[pruh-vohkt] / prəˈvoʊkt /

adjective

1. angered or enraged.

   The boys continued to test out the improved model until it was destroyed by a provoked weasel.

   For all the hype, the “riot” was actually quite mild—just a few empty beer cans and some stones thrown by an already provoked crowd.

2. stirred up or aroused.

   The longtime columnist says that it helps to have an easily provoked sense of indignation.

   To avoid being eaten, a provoked pufferfish blows itself up into a spiny living balloon the size of a volleyball.

3. prompted or caused by some action, behavior, or circumstance; brought about, often deliberately.

   His laugh was a contagious, easily provoked chuckle.

   A provoked bite can occur when a person teases a dog or tries to take away the dog's food while the dog is eating.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of provoke.

Other Word Forms

• unprovoked adjective

Etymology

Origin of provoked

provoke ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Natural disasters are inevitable, but often, the most devastating slumber for decades, sometimes centuries, only awakening when provoked.

From Salon

The power outages that stretched into Tuesday followed a weekend of civil unrest provoked by the scarcity of food, water and other basic necessities.

From The Wall Street Journal

I myself was provoked, but not quite sure why.

From Literature

The news has provoked a backlash from fans, with some questioning the justification given for the price hike, particularly given Google's recent settlement with the company in a five-year legal fight over in-app purchase fees.

From BBC

"We are not a country that is easily provoked," Fidan said.

From Barron's

Related Words

• incensed