provocateur
provocateur — noun
- provocateursingular
- provocateursplural
1. a person who deliberately says or does things to start arguments, or to make oth
a person who deliberately says or does things to start arguments, or to make others feel angry, upset, or uncomfortable
Ari built a huge online following as a provocateur who attacked popular opinions.
noun describing someone who stirs up reactions on purpose
The talk-show host invited a well-known provocateur to anger the studio audience.
collocation: invite / book a provocateur for a debate
Critics called the painter a provocateur whose work was made only to shock people.
As a teenager, Liam was the family provocateur, raising touchy subjects at every dinner.
Voters grew tired of the senator acting as a provocateur instead of solving real problems.
- agitator
stirs up groups toward action; provocateur is more about getting a reaction
- troublemaker
plainer, everyday word; provocateur is formal and often deliberate-for-effect
- instigator
starts a specific incident; provocateur is an ongoing role or character
- peacemaker
tries to calm conflict rather than start it
用法筆記
Often describes a public figure (writer, artist, broadcaster, politician) who provokes on purpose to draw attention. Distinguish from sense 2: this person seeks reaction and publicity, not a criminal trap.
2. a person, often secretly working for the police or a government, who pushes othe
a person, often secretly working for the police or a government, who pushes others into breaking the law so that they can be caught
The protesters suspected that a provocateur in the crowd had smashed the shop window.
noun: a hidden agent who triggers illegal acts in a group
Court records showed the riot was started by a paid provocateur, not the workers.
collocation: a paid / police provocateur
Femi warned the union members that a provocateur might try to push them toward violence.
The spy novel followed a provocateur sent to lure rebels into an illegal weapons deal.
Old files revealed the government had planted a provocateur inside the peaceful campaign.
- agent provocateur
the full set phrase for exactly this meaning
- infiltrator
secretly joins a group, but does not always push them to break the law
用法筆記
Subject is usually working covertly for authorities; the goal is to make people commit a crime so they can be arrested. The fuller, formal term is 'agent provocateur'.