How to Use provoking in a Sentence

provoking

adjective
  • Their idea here with the book is not to tell founders what to do, but rather be thought-provoking.
    — Eyal Bino, Forbes, 8 June 2021
  • One that steeps itself in thought provoking flavors for its area.
    — Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 29 June 2022
  • For those who see any aspect of themselves in the film, Lena hopes the work is thought provoking.
    — Elizabeth Wagmeister, Variety, 28 Jan. 2022
  • His work is always rigorous and thought-provoking, but rarely stuffy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
  • Chiarella has come up with an ingenious premise that is as twisted as it is thought-provoking.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
  • The festival is the perfect place to show films that might be taking risks and be thought-provoking.
    — Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Dec. 2022
  • Friday might pose a thought-provoking question.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • While not all of them were helpful, some were very clever, and a few were actually thought-provoking.
    — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2021
  • The entire process must be healthy, transparent and thought-provoking.
    — Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2022
  • Each day gets its own page, along with a quote that always manages to be thought-provoking without being too trite.
    — Medea Giordan, Wired, 30 Aug. 2021
  • The rest of the crew's choices are similarly odd and thought provoking.
    — Tony Quiroga, Car and Driver, 28 Aug. 2020
  • It was thought-provoking and mysterious but not a horror film.
    — Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2022
  • Adam Crafton’s interview with him was thought-provoking.
    — Phil Hay, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
  • His biggest critique is not having enough time to answer all the thought-provoking questions that came at the end.
    — Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
  • And now, he's proved no rapper is better right now at staging thought-provoking live show spectacles.
    — Piet Levy, Journal Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2022
  • Players and coaches say many of the discussions have been heartfelt and thought-provoking.
    — Dallas News, 30 July 2020
  • That said, crunching these numbers can be anxiety-provoking for so many reasons.
    — Erica Sweeney, SELF, 25 Oct. 2021
  • Read on for the best cute, funny, thought-provoking and positive captions for all of your social media posts.
    — Good Housekeeping, 6 Sep. 2022
  • Aside from the recipes, Onwuachi’s personal journey alone is a thought-provoking read.
    — Ann Trieger Kurland, BostonGlobe.com, 24 May 2022
  • Because of that, the letter I was forced to write became an important, even provoking step.
    — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, National Review, 17 Nov. 2020
  • The classroom lectures and debates are always thought-provoking.
    — Kyesha Jennings, Vulture, 30 Nov. 2021
  • Thought-provoking and positive stories go a long way with audiences.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 8 Aug. 2022
  • Games for Impact - For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2021
  • While tone and plot are all over the map, Holland's steadfast performance keeps it watchable and thought-provoking.
    — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2021
  • The exhibition, with its wide array of responses, aims to be thought-provoking.
    — Lila Thulin, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Aug. 2020
  • But the book that coined that term, 1984, is a thought-provoking and expertly crafted novel.
    — Robert English, EW.com, 17 Sep. 2022
  • There’s no doubt that two years into the pandemic, airports feel more anxiety-provoking than ever, and fliers need a space to find a sense of calm.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Jan. 2022
  • But for others, getting your hopes up only for them to be thwarted is angering and anxiety-provoking.
    — Jenna Ryu, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2021
  • The black gown that Jessica wears in early scenes proved especially thought provoking.
    — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2021
  • The ways the siblings cope with their versions of reality are quite different, quite haunting and quite thought-provoking.
    — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'provoking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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