provocative

Adjective complement with noun phrase

• do: Noone wore masks or did anything provocative at the police present.
• want: They want someone provocative who is weird and strange and controversial.

Modifies a noun

• remark: Even in face of Joan's deliberately provocative remarks, Bea manages to hold her tongue.
• thriller: A dark, provocative, psychological thriller; David Slade is a clearly a talent to watch.
• stance: He also takes a provocative stance by questioning much of the accepted wisdom of marketing.
• thinker: However, he was an intensely interesting, yet provocative thinker.
• gesture: It was also noted that there had been reports of a provocative gesture by Hall.
• commentary: A significant body of scholarship has grown in the field, providing a rich and provocative commentary upon a diverse range of subjects.

Used with adjective complement

• seem: The design of the Dyson CR01 range of washing machines seems deliberately provocative.
• see: John McDonnell said that Prescott's action would be seen as provocative.
• look: It does not really make sense; given CESA's history, it just looks provocative.

Infinitive complement

• say: Possibly posed, but provocative to say the least, as was so much of Brando's dramatically rebellious life!

Modifying Another Word

• deliberately: Next bit of preamble Well my deliberately provocative preamble got a bit of a response, which isn't bad for a Sunday.
• profoundly: Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.
• sexually: Don't engage in or allow any sexually provocative games involving or observed by children, whether based on talking or touching.
• intentionally: Invited speakers will give their response to this intentionally provocative question, followed by an open discussion.
• emotionally: Her highly theatrical piece explored the familiar topic of love in an original way which audience members found extremely moving and emotionally provocative.
• highly: Following the first highly provocative imports of American GM soya, there had been little time for public debate.

Preposition: in

• way: A: I'm looking for movies that are actually about something, that are questioning something, that are provocative in some way.
• sense: It is meant to be suggestive, even " provocative in the best sense.