acting as a stimulus or incitement, esp to anger or sexual desire; provoking: a provocative look, a provocative remark
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
pro•voc•a•tive /prəˈvɑkətɪv/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- tending or serving to provoke.
- stimulating;
enticing:a provocative smile.
pro•voc•a•tive
(prə vok′ə tiv),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
pro•voc′a•tive•ly, adv.
pro•voc′a•tive•ness, n.
- tending or serving to provoke;
inciting, stimulating, irritating, or vexing.
n.
- something provocative.
- Late Latin prōvocātīvus. See provocation, -ive
- late Middle English 1375–1425
pro•voc′a•tive•ness, n.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'provocative' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Almodóvar
- Emin
- Paglia
- ask for
- bump
- burlesque
- challenging
- coat-trailing
- come-hither
- coy
- demi-vierge
- eye
- half-provocative
- in-your-face
- incentive
- inflammatory
- kinky
- kneesies
- piquant
- quasi-provocative
- slink
- slinky
- tart up
- voluptuous