What is another word for provoking ?

Causing or eliciting a strong or passionate reaction

galvanizing^US

galvanising^UK

energizing^US

energising^UK

giving one food for thought

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“Such provoking statements leave the door open as to how we should regard a human being.”

Adjective

enough to try the patience of a saint

Offensive, causing or eliciting a strong negative reaction

enough to drive you up the wall

bedevilling^UK

bedeviling^US

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“We should move forward and ignore such provoking statements designed to besmirch our reputations.”

Adjective

Disturbing in nature, causing anxiety or concern

sombre^UK

somber^US

unfavorable^US

humourless^UK

humorless^US

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Adjective

Causing someone to feel resentful, upset, or annoyed

libellous^UK

libelous^US

unfavorable^US

politically incorrect

dishonoring^US

minimizing^US

minimising^UK

libeling^US

libelling^UK

ill-humored^US

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Adjective

Physically suggestive, alluring or captivating

looking like a million bucks

aesthetic^UK

esthetic^US

as pretty as a picture

physically attractive

aesthetically appealing

likable^US

physically gratifying

aesthetically pleasing

likeable^UK

off-color^US

off-colour^UK

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Adjective

Tending to stir up conflict

Adjective

Utterly consuming one's time and attention

mesmerising^UK

mesmerizing^US

hypnotizing^US

hypnotising^UK

marvelous^US

marvellous^UK

galvanising^UK

likeable^UK

likable^US

galvanizing^US

magnetising^UK

magnetizing^US

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Adjective

Intended to provoke someone in an insulting or contemptuous manner

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Adjective

Painful or unpleasant to accept or contemplate

unfit for human consumption

unsavory^US

unsavoury^UK

fetid^US

foetid^UK

flavourless^UK

grueling^US

gruelling^UK

flavorless^US

ill-favored^US

humourless^UK

humorless^US

more than one can bear

more than flesh and blood can stand

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Verb

getting in someone's hair

(usually used in third person form "gets") Annoying or irritating (someone)

rubbing up the wrong way

giving someone the hump

driving mad

driving crazy

driving nuts

making someone see red

getting on someone's nerves

getting on someone's tits

getting on your nerves

getting someone's back up

getting someone's dander up

getting someone's goat

getting someone's hackles up

getting someone's wick

getting under someone's skin

getting up your nose

gnawing

harrying

making someone's hackles rise

making your blood boil

rattling someone's cage

ruffling someone's feathers

trying someone's patience

getting under your skin

hitting where one lives

bedeviling^US

bedevilling^UK

rubbing the wrong way

sending into a rage

getting across someone

taking a rise out of

starting

stirring up

getting a rise out of

getting on one's nerves

driving to distraction

driving round the bend

driving round the twist

asking for it

giving someone the pip

making somebody's hackles rise

hurting somebody's feelings

going on at

traumatising^UK

keeping after

ruffling one's feathers

getting up someone's nose

nagging at

dumping on

steaming up

getting your dander up

putting someone's nose out of joint

getting your hackles up

shaking up

imposing on

giving a bad time

setting one's teeth on edge

bending someone's ear

putting to trouble

driving you up the wall

victimizing^US

making unhappy

scandalising^UK

weighing on

causing discomfort to

poking fun at

making sport of

losing sleep

breathing down someone's neck

trying the patience of

rubbing you up the wrong way

hanging up

working up

victimising^UK

knocking for six

taking the piss out of

terrorizing^US

criticizing^US

caviling^US

cavilling^UK

making it hot for someone

sticking in one's craw

criticising^UK

inflicting anguish on

making things hot for someone

making someone fed up

terrorising^UK

getting on the wrong side of

causing resentment to

wigging

getting on someone

running up the wrong way

pushing someon's buttons

messing

barracking

booing

getting on the nerves of

getting in the hair of

pushing one's buttons

making someone scratch their head

occupying thoughts

belabouring^UK

scorning

weighing

making an enemy of somebody

upsetting the applecart

grizzling

putting to some trouble

bringing pressure to bear on

tiring out

leaning on

putting pressure on

making severe demands on

searching high heaven

noodging

bullyragging

driving you crazy

hurting the feelings of

tearing to pieces

knocking the wind out of

making your gorge rise

harshing one's mellow

driving you out of your mind

driving you off your head

making you see red

driving you round the twist

driving out of mind

driving you to distraction

making somebody's blood boil

driving you round the bend

sticking the knife into

getting the knife into

giving the cold shoulder

filling with loathing

giving a zinger

grinding

pushing the buttons of

playing cat and mouse

putting through wringer

rubbing salt in wound

causing inconvenience to

imposing upon

creating difficulties for

disengaging

detaching

sending over the edge

breaking the heart of

jumping on one's case

giving the needle

falling on

putting the squeeze on

tyrannizing^US

belaboring^US

pouring cold water on

throwing cold water on

bringing tears to your eyes

knocking the stuffing out of

breaking someone's heart

harshing someone's mellow

giving someone the blues

tyrannising^UK

taking the wind out of your sails

dampening the spirits of

causing to lose heart

carrying a heavy load

getting into a dither

putting someone off their stroke

making nervous

causing someone to lose their composure

giving someone bother

causing someone difficulty

making someone go out of his way

having an adverse effect on

striking down

going against the grain

causing to feel mental strain

causing to feel emotional strain

satirizing^US

satirising^UK

pulling someone's leg

going through the mill

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

Verb

firing the imagination of

To be triggering a passionate feeling or reaction

galvanizing^US

energising^UK

energizing^US

galvanising^UK

catalyzing^US

catalysing^UK

lighting a fire under

fueling^US

firing the enthusiasm of

fanning the flames of

realizing^US

mobilizing^US

starting the ball rolling

realising^UK

firing with enthusiasm

mobilising^UK

getting someone going

counseling^US

counselling^UK

twisting someone's arm

organizing^US

coming into existence

giving a shot in the arm to

giving shot in arm

determining

striking

getting things rolling

organising^UK

being responsible for

acting as a stimulus to

having as a consequence

acting as an incentive to

innovating

incenting

implying

equaling^US

equalling^UK

adding fuel to the flames

adding fuel

manoeuvring^UK

maneuvering^US

sanctioning

bielding

propping up

raising the morale of

stimulating spiritually

giving confidence to

boosting morale

giving hope to

lifting the spirits of

stiffening the resolve of

building a fire under

putting the screws on

biasing^US

biassing^UK

giving a shot in the arm

giving someone a kick

startling

compassing

favouring^UK

favoring^US

managing

impressing on

making willing

acting as a incentive to

giving the incentive to

whetting one's appetite

being partly responsible for

leaving the door open to

breathing new life into

laying the foundations of

laying the first stone of

getting in operation

getting off the ground

getting the ball rolling

getting something functioning

getting under way

getting something working

setting the ball rolling

colouring^UK

putting on cloud nine

putting on top of the world

giving a lift to

letting the sun shine in

bringing pressure to bear on

carrying weight with

cutting any ice with

making yourself felt with

bringing pressure to bear upon

coloring^US

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

Noun

being rubbed up the wrong way

The act of deliberately pestering or annoying someone

offence^UK

offense^US

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Noun

being rubbed up the wrong way

A fit of feeling annoyed, offended or resentful

offence^UK

offense^US

rancor^US

rancour^UK

furor^US

furore^UK

disfavour^UK

disfavor^US

chip on your shoulder

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Noun