as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
piquing remarks that were said mainly to get a rise out of the other guests at the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bothering
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
her seat companion piqued her by repeatedly poking her in the ribs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in provoking
to rouse to strong feeling or action
their sarcastic comments piqued him to respond in kind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in priding
to think highly of (oneself)
she piques herself on her considerable musical abilities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of piquing
Evan Clark, Footwear News, 10 Nov. 2025
Possibly proving the old adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity, with the critical response piquing people’s curiosity, All’s Fair launched at #1 on Hulu’s Top 15 and remained in the top spot for the first three days on platform.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Interestingly enough, the tumulus represents a meeting of Roman and Celtic traditions, though, by the looks of it, this funerary monument, possibly attached to a stately though unknown elite, was a symbolic gesture, piquing intrigue and revealing a slice of Roman life rarely seen.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025
Romelu Lukaku are piquing interest.
—Henry Flynn, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Iconix Brands Group pioneered the approach in the prior decade, piquing the interest of Salter, who iterated on the concept.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquing
Adjective
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That’s the question posed by a provocative ad running ahead of screenings at this year’s Thessaloniki Film Festival, highlighting the dire state of film funding in Greece.—
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This mother makes what the star did in the equally provocative Mother seem like child’s play.—
Verb
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Ibrahim keeps bothering me endlessly, touching my leg and thigh.—
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Ask her if anything is bothering her.—
Verb
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When Russia, another strategic partner, invaded Ukraine in 2022, China stopped short of condemning Moscow or opposing the war, instead parroting Russian narrative of blaming on the United States and its NATO allies for provoking the conflict.—
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Rather, many Iranians instead blamed the leadership for either provoking the conflict or failing to meaningfully defend the country from Israeli – or American – bombs.—
Verb
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But with a bid to appeal to more women and families, Hooters risks failing to differentiate itself from the dozens of other casual dining chains also priding themselves on being family-friendly, according to Saunders.—
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If bookmaking was in theory the keel that kept the ship upright, in practice Bowyer often treated it as another gamble, priding himself on taking bets that his competition wouldn’t touch.—
Adjective
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At a charged political moment, her relatively sober look seemed intended to keep the focus on POTUS.—
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What Happens Next Greene is likely to continue stoking controversy by breaking with her party, as conversations around immigration remain charged and divisive.—
Verb
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That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
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Then Julian dropped one of his wireless earbuds into Olympia’s purse, using it as a crude bugging device.—
Verb
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There was a lot to like about Jovic’s performance on Saturday, with Heat veteran guard Norman Powell pushing and encouraging him along the way.—
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Salt-n-Pepa also joined in, and the group of artists concluded the set with a call-and-response moment alongside the crowd, encouraging everyone to scream along.—
Verb
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Please join us in congratulating Erik on his new role!—
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The couple met via Instagram DM when Rivera sent Herrold a message congratulating her on the success of the show’s first season in 2020.—
Cite this Entry
“Piquing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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