PROVOCATIVE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for PROVOCATIVE?

Need another word that means the same as “provocative”? Find 17 synonyms and 30 related words for “provocative” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Provocative” are: annoying, irritating, exasperating, infuriating, provoking, maddening, vexing, galling, sexy, sexually exciting, alluring, seductive, tempting, suggestive, inviting, tantalizing, titillating

Provocative as an Adjective

Definitions of "Provocative" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “provocative” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Exciting sexual desire.
• Intended or intending to arouse sexual desire or interest.
• Causing anger or another strong reaction, especially deliberately.
• Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy.
• Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy- Anthony Trollope.
• Intentionally arousing sexual desire.

Synonyms of "Provocative" as an adjective (17 Words)

alluring	Highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire. An alluring prospect.
annoying	Causing irritation or annoyance. Unsolicited calls are annoying.
exasperating	Making worse. I ve had an exasperating day.
galling	Causing annoyance or resentment; annoying. It would be galling to lose your job because of a dispute with a customer.
infuriating	Extremely annoying or displeasing. That infuriating half smile on his face.
inviting	Offering the promise of an attractive or enjoyable experience. An inviting offer.
irritating	Causing annoyance, impatience, or mild anger. The substance may be irritating to eyes and skin.
maddening	Extremely annoying or displeasing. The ceaseless tumult of the jukebox was maddening.
provoking	Causing annoyance; irritating. A provoking delay at the airport.
seductive	Tending to entice into a desired action or state. A seductive voice.
sexually exciting	Creating or arousing excitement.
suggestive	Tending to suggest something improper or indecent. Artifacts suggestive of an ancient society.
tantalizing	Very pleasantly inviting. A tantalizing glimpse of the career he might have had.
tempting	Highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire. It is often tempting to bring about change rapidly.
titillating	Exciting by touching lightly so as to cause laughter or twitching movements. Then came a lot of titillating tabloid speculation.
vexing	Causing annoyance, frustration, or worry. The most vexing questions for policymakers.

Usage Examples of "Provocative" as an adjective

• Her gestures and postures became more wanton and provocative.
• A provocative remark.
• Provocative remarks about foreign policy.
• A provocative article.
• Provocative Irish tunes which…compel the hearers to dance.
• A provocative smile.
• A provocative sidelong glance.

Associations of "Provocative" (30 Words)

agitative	Tending to agitate or move (something); involving agitation.
ambitious	Having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed. A ruthlessly ambitious workaholic.
arouse	Stimulate sexually. This movie usually arouses the male audience.
arsonist	A criminal who illegally sets fire to property. Police believe arsonists were responsible for both fires.
challenging	Inviting competition; provocative. Performed the most challenging task without a mistake.
charged	Capable of producing violent emotion or arousing controversy. An emotionally charged speech.
cheer	Cause somebody to feel happier or more cheerful. She tried to cheer up the disappointed child when he failed to win the spelling bee.
combustible	A combustible substance. A combustible gas.
combustion	The process of burning something. Combustion grew until revolt was unavoidable.
effervescent	Marked by high spirits or excitement. An effervescent mixture of cheap wine fruit flavours sugar and carbon dioxide.
encourage	Stimulate the development of (an activity, state, or belief. His financial success encouraged him to look for a wife.
energetic	Showing or involving great activity or vitality. It caused an energetic chemical reaction.
frothy	Full of or covered with a mass of small bubbles. Steaming mugs of frothy coffee.
iconoclast	A supporter of the 8th- and 9th-century movement in the Byzantine Church which sought to abolish the veneration of icons and other religious images.
incendiary	An incendiary bomb or device. Incendiary rhetoric.
inflammatory	Relating to or causing inflammation of a part of the body. An inflammatory response.
inspiring	Having the effect of inspiring someone. He was an inspiring teacher.
insurgent	Relating to rebels. An attack by armed insurgents.
live	Continue to live and avoid dying. Still a live option.
lively	Difficult or challenging. A lively homeward passage dodging aircraft and E boats.
pep	Make someone or something more lively or interesting. This tonic is guaranteed to give you more pep.
rebel	Take part in a rebellion renounce a former allegiance. The Earl of Pembroke subsequently rebelled against Henry III.
rousing	Rousing to activity or heightened action as by spurring or goading. A rousing speech.
scintillating	Brilliantly clever. The scintillating sun.
seditious	In opposition to a civil authority or government. The letter was declared seditious.
spasmodic	Caused by, subject to, or in the nature of a spasm or spasms. His body made a spasmodic jerk.
stimulate	Act as a stimulant. The book stimulated her imagination.
stimulating	That stimulates. A stimulating discussion.
stirring	Agitating a liquid with an implement. A stirring and thriving politician.
subversive	A subversive person. The government claimed we were subversives or terrorists.