What is another word for provoke ?

make somebody's hackles rise

To deliberately make (someone) annoyed or angry

give someone the hump

antagonize^US

antagonise^UK

drive round the twist

get up someone's nose

ruffle one's feathers

put someone's nose out of joint

rattle someone's cage

drive you up the wall

scandalize^US

scandalise^UK

breathe down someone's neck

rub you up the wrong way

tantalize^US

tantalise^UK

be a thorn in someone's flesh

appal^UK

criticize^US

criticise^UK

be a pain in the neck

give a bad time

ask for it

shake up

be a thorn in someone's side

appall^US

set one's teeth on edge

pick at

gnaw at

get on the wrong side of

rattle someone's chain

stroke someone's hair the wrong way

make an enemy of somebody

be like a red rag to a bull

drive you to distraction

push someon's buttons

agonize^US

drive you round the twist

drive you round the bend

victimize^US

drive you off your head

agonise^UK

drive you out of your mind

drive out of mind

make somebody's blood boil

give the cold shoulder

victimise^UK

tread on someone's toes

make someone scratch their head

lie heavy on

fuddle

hurt somebody's feelings

exhaust someone's patience

get on someone's case

put someone off their stroke

move

put into a flap

throw into a tizz

cause someone to lose their composure

tyrannize^US

get on someone's back

tyrannise^UK

traumatize^US

paralyse^UK

traumatise^UK

paralyze^US

take the wind out of your sails

completely surprise

give a turn

throw a curve

make someone's blood run cold

raise someone's eyebrows

set someone back on their heels

gross out

knock for six

shake out of your complacency

hit like ton of bricks

terrorize^US

terrorise^UK

demoralize^US

demoralise^UK

put out of countenance

put someone off their stride

scare the bejesus out of

make teeth chatter

destabilize^US

make one's hair stand on end

make one's blood run cold

destabilise^UK

cause to be at a stand

crush

knock sideways

be agitated

stop someone in their tracks

chill to the bone

cause anguish to

pull the rug from under

scare off

scare stiff

pull the rug out from under

scare the living daylights out of

weigh heavily on one's mind

make someone jump out of their skin

weigh heavily on

mess with someone's head

balk^US

scare the daylights out of

baulk^UK

spring

worst

weigh heavily on someone's mind

pressurize^US

pressurise^UK

scare the pants off of

make someone jump out of his skin

make someone laugh out of the other side of their mouth

make someone laugh on the other side of their face

lie heavy on someone's mind

weigh heavy on someone's mind

make jump

give someone a jolt

give a shock

give someone a fright

breath down someone's neck

be a weight on one's mind

bring pressure to bear on

give someone goose pimples

scare someone out of their wits

chill to the marrow

give someone the heebie-jeebies

put the fear of God into

be on pins and needles

be spooked

be nervous

be anxious

have ants in one's pants

be like a cat on hot bricks

be antsy

throw into a blue funk

dash

make one's flesh creep

give one the creeps

scare someone half to death

fill with consternation

more ❯

“I tell myself to stay calm and not to let anyone provoke me.”

Verb

To bring about

be partly responsible for

catalyze^US

catalyse^UK

energize^US

energise^UK

invigorate^US

envigorate^UK

incentivize^US

incentivise^UK

fire the imagination of

realize^US

instil^UK

realise^UK

instill^US

fire the enthusiasm of

organize^US

organise^UK

mobilize^US

mobilise^UK

start the ball rolling

add fuel to the flames

extort

make wild

act as an incentive to

have as a consequence

pressurise^UK

pressurize^US

fulfil^UK

revitalize^US

give a shot in the arm

finalize^US

fulfill^US

give someone a charge

take your breath away

fire someone's imagination

magnetize^US

magnetise^UK

stimulate spiritually

give a shot in the arm to

bield

stiffen the resolve of

revitalise^UK

put someone up to something

finalise^UK

sensitize^US

sensitise^UK

leave the door open to

lay the foundations of

get in operation

lay the first stone of

set the ball rolling

get something functioning

get the ball rolling

get something working

more ❯

“Sometimes, it takes a crisis to provoke change.”

Verb

To stimulate or incite (someone) to do or feel something, especially by arousing anger in them

pressurise^UK

pressurize^US

favour^UK

favor^US

spur on

turn on

give the incentive to

root on

act as a stimulus to

act as a incentive to

light a fire under

more ❯

“Green was actually responding to an interrogation that was meant to provoke him into uttering nonsense.”

Verb

run a smear campaign against

To speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse

dishonor^US

dishonour^UK

treat disrespectfully

call names

hurt somebody's feelings

victimize^US

antagonize^US

satirize^US

victimise^UK

antagonise^UK

satirise^UK

drag through the mire

stigmatize^US

scandalize^US

scandalise^UK

stigmatise^UK

blacken someone's name

blacken the character of

demoralise^UK

demoralize^US

distress

cut down

pain

attack somebody's dignity

traumatize^US

traumatise^UK

give the Bronx cheer to

make cutting remarks about

say contemptuously

turn your nose up at

disfavor^US

disfavour^UK

ruin the reputation of

bring shame upon

put in a bad light

destroy someone's credibility

bring into disfavour

damage someone's reputation

defame someone's character

sully someone's reputation

run smear campaign

more ❯

Verb

To hold or engage the attention of

enthral^UK

enthrall^US

mesmerise^UK

mesmerize^US

hypnotise^UK

hypnotize^US

magnetise^UK

magnetize^US

tantalise^UK

tantalize^US

sweep someone off their feet

hold the attention of

take your breath away

monopolize^US

monopolise^UK

capture your imagination

humour^UK

humor^US

make your mouth water

sweep sombeody off his/her feet

hit on

be unable to take one's eyes off

paralyze^US

paralyse^UK

rivet the attention of

grab the attention of

put under magic spell

bury

psych out

blow your mind

engage one's attention

sit up

whet one's appetite

give someone a charge

give great pleasure to

arouse the curiosity of

take someone's fancy

whet someone's appetite

be a source of fascination to

engage someone's attention

give someone a thrill

dangle a carrot in front of

keep someone hanging on

make a fool of

hearten

uplift

sweep you off your feet

fulfill^US

fulfil^UK

do someone's heart good

give someone pleasure

buck up

make someone feel good

warm the cockles of the heart

make content

get one's kicks

more ❯

Verb

To make worse or more severe

Verb

To make happen or bring about

Verb