provocateur
noun[C]
uk/prəˌvɒk.əˈtɜːr/us/proʊˌvɑː.kəˈtɝː/apersonwhointentionallyencouragespeopleto do somethingillegal, usually so that they can bearrested:
Was she atrueprogressive, or a provocateurworkingundercover?
Communityleadersworryabout far-right provocateurs from anti-immigrantgroups.
someone whointentionallycausesargumentsordiscussions, orintentionallymakes otherpeoplefeelangry,offended, oruncomfortable:
He is a provocateur notafraidofconfrontinghis ownaudience.
- Many on theleftsuspectedat first that thegroupwere provocateurs in thepayof thegovernment.
- The filmdirectors who arewidelyvaluedtendto becraftsmenratherthan provocateurs.
- She had areputationas a provocateurbasedon herin-your-facewebsiteandsensationalmemoir.
- Always a provocateur, he hadoffendedjust about everygroupinsociety.
International relations: spying and espionage
- agent
- agent provocateur
- anti-bug
- counter-espionage
- insider
- intel
- intelligence
- MI5
- MI6
- scout
- shadow
- snoop
- spook
- spy
- spy onsomeone/something
- superspy
- tail
- tap
- the CIA
- tradecraft
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Debate & discussion
Arguing & disagreeing
Synonym
agent provocateur