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Controversial vs Provocative - What's the difference?

controversial | provocative |

As adjectives the difference between controversial and provocative

is that controversial is arousing controversy—a debate or discussion of opposing opinions while provocative is serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.

As a noun provocative is

something that provokes an appetite, especially a sexual appetite; an aphrodisiac.

controversial

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Arousing controversy—a debate or discussion of opposing opinions.
  • * (rfdate) Macaulay:
    • Whole libraries of controversial books.

    Usage notes

    * Nouns often used with "controversial": topic, subject, work, author, method, etc.

    Synonyms

    * contentious * contested

    Antonyms

    * uncontroversial * noncontroversial * incontrovertible

    Derived terms

    * controversialness

    Related terms

    * controversialist * controversiality * controversy * controvert * controverter * controvertible

    See also

    * disputatious * polemical * disputable * controvertible * debatable

    External links

    * *

    provocative

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Serving or tending to elicit a strong, often negative sentiment in another person; exasperating.
  • Serving or tending to excite, stimulate or arouse sexual interest.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • * 1723 , Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury :
    • She used by way of Provocative , to read the wanton Verses of her (Paramour) in the day time [...].
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