provocation — English Dictionary

Noun

1. The act of provoking, inciting or annoying someone into doing something.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

2. Something that provokes; a provocative act.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   The Salzburg Festival stunned the musical world by hiring him to succeed the hallowed Herbert von Karajan, and Mr. Mortier spent the 1990s there scandalizing many of its tradition-minded, well-heeled opera patrons, the most notorious provocation being a production of Johann Strauss’s “Fledermaus” laced with cocaine and fornication and aimed at Austria’s far-right political forces.

3. The second step in OPQRST regarding the investigation of what makes the symptoms MOI or NOI improve or deteriorate.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   When it's time to check for provocation, ask the patient about what makes their chief complaint better or worse.

Noun

1. unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment

   Synonyms

   aggravationirritation

   Broader terms

   aggression

2. something that incites or provokes; a means of arousing or stirring to action

   Synonyms

   incitementincitation

   Broader terms

   psychic energymental energy

3. needed encouragement

   Synonyms

   incitement

   Broader terms

   encouragement

   Examples

   the result was a provocation of vigorous investigation