Provoking

a.

1.

Having the power or quality of exciting resentment; tending to awaken passion or vexation; as, provoking words or treatment.

Adj.

1.

provoking - causing or tending to cause anger or resentment; "a provoking delay at the airport" Synonyms: agitating, agitative

aggravating, agitating, alluring, annoying, ardent, bothering, bothersome, breathtaking, burning, challenging, charged, cliff-hanging, disquieting, distracting, disturbing, electric, emphatic, encouraging, energizing, enthusiastic, exasperating, exciting, exhilarating, fervent, fiery, galling, galvanic, galvanizing, glowing, harassing, harassment, heady, heart-expanding, heart-stirring, heart-swelling, heart-thrilling, impassioned, importunate, importune, impressive, inflammatory, interesting, intoxicating, inviting, irking, irksome, irritating, jarring, jolting, juicy, lively, maddening, mind-blowing, moving, overcoming, overmastering, overpowering, overwhelming, passionate, perturbing, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, piquant, plaguesome, plaguey, plaguing, prompting, provocation, provocative, racy, ravishing, readable, rich, rousing, soul-stirring, spicy, spirit-stirring, stimulant, stimulating, stimulative, stirring, striking, succulent, suspenseful, suspensive, tantalizing, teasing, telling, thought-challenging, thought-inspiring, thought-provoking, thrilling, thrilly, tickling, tiresome, titillating, tormenting, troublesome, troubling, unsettling, upsetting, urgent, vehement, vexation, vexatious, vexing, warm, wearisome, worrisome, worrying