provoke

v

1. anger, incense, huff, enrage, infuriate, madden, outrage, raise [s.o.'s] ire, make [s.o.'s] blood boil; exasperate, exacerbate, defy, disquiet, discompose, distress, ruffle, roil, pique, chafe, vex, gall, envenom, grate, put out, try [s.o.'s] patience, Sl. get [s.o.'s] goat; annoy, irritate, aggravate, fret, hector, nettle, disturb, perturb, torment, plague, badger, pester, persecute, harass, beset, bullyrag, get on [s.o.'s] nerves; insult, affront, offend, sting, wound, molest, mortify, humiliate.

2. instigate, actuate, initiate, generate, start, cause, effect, contrive, establish, create, institute, put in motion, sow the seeds of, Inf. start something, look for trouble; foment, agitate, excite, arouse, rouse, whip, whip up, work, work up, stir, stir up, wind, wind up, inflame, enflame, impassion, enkindle, kindle, fire, fire up, touch off; elicit, evoke, call forth, summon up.

3. incite, poke, prod, prick, thrust, goad, prompt, spur, egg on, encourage, put up to; impel, compel, constrain, press, push, move, force, propel, lash, drive, hound; strike, penetrate, disturb, touch to the quick; stimulate, animate, whet, reanimate, invigorate, motivate, inspire, inspirit, rally, revive, awaken, wake up, enliven, liven up, vivify, electrify, warm up, shake up; tempt, lure, allure, seduce, tantalize, beguile, inveigle, infect, intoxicate.

4. induce, produce, occasion, give rise to, bring about; promote, further, forward, foster, favor, advance.