provoke

provoke — verb

1. to make something happen or be felt, especially a strong emotion, an argument, o

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make something happen or be felt, especially a strong emotion, an argument, or a particular kind of behaviour

例句

The politician's comments provoked a heated debate among the audience.

provoke + noun phrase (reaction)

Eli's unusual outfit provoked curiosity from everyone at the party.

provoke + curiosity (emotion as object)

同義詞
  • evoke

    more neutral and less forceful; often used for memories, feelings, or images that arise naturally

  • trigger

    more specific to automatic or involuntary reactions, often sudden or unexpected

  • spark

    suggests a sudden start of something, especially arguments, debates, or protests

  • stir up

    phrasal verb, more informal; suggests deliberately causing trouble or emotion

反義詞
  • prevent

    stop something from happening before it begins

  • suppress

    keep a reaction from being expressed or felt

文法句型

provoke + noun phrase (reaction/response/debate/laughter)

be provoked by + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often used in news reports and formal writing. The reaction can be positive or negative, though it is frequently something strong or intense. This sense is commonly used in the passive voice (be provoked by).

常見錯誤

❌His joke provoked that everyone laughed.
✅His joke provoked laughter from everyone.
💡'provoke' takes a noun phrase object, not a that-clause.
❌The news provoked me sad.
✅The news provoked sadness in me.
💡after 'provoke' use a noun for the emotion, not an adjective.

2. to purposely make someone angry, usually by what you say or do, so that they res

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to purposely make someone angry, usually by what you say or do, so that they respond in a certain way

例句

The older boys provoked Anong by calling him names during the game.

provoke + person + by + -ing form

Quinn knew that arriving late would provoke his manager, but he did it anyway.

provoke + person (direct object)

同義詞
  • annoy

    milder, less intense; does not always suggest a deliberate plan

  • irritate

    similar to annoy but slightly stronger; suggests repeated small actions

  • antagonize

    more formal; implies making someone hostile or opposed

  • needle

    informal, means to annoy someone by repeatedly saying things

反義詞
  • calm

    make someone feel less angry or upset

  • soothe

    make someone feel less upset, angry, or anxious

文法句型

provoke + person/animal

provoke + person + into + -ing form

provoke + person + to-infinitive

用法筆記

The subject is typically a person or an action. When the object is an animal, the sense is often literal (bothering or threatening). The pattern provoke + person + into + -ing is common and suggests the outcome was intended.

常見錯誤

❌She provoked him angry.
✅She provoked him until he became angry.' or 'She provoked his anger.
💡'provoke' does not directly connect to an adjective; use a clause or a noun.
❌He provoked her for leaving early.
✅He provoked her by leaving early.' / 'He provoked her into leaving early.
💡use 'by + -ing' for the method or 'into + -ing' for the result.